Come See MY House
by Jade27
Summary: Jou's got an interesting summer project. He has to spend five days at the house of his partner then switch, only... You guessed it. The teacher picks the partner and Jou is stuck with none other than Moneybags. What will happen? R&R Seto/Jounichi
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimers. I obviously do not own Yu Gi Oh or any of it's characters. If I did I wouldn't be writing stupid Seto/Jounichi fanfics I'd be spending my time and money elsewhere. As it is I'm writing stupid fanfics  
  
I would like to thank none other than the talented Card Captors fanfic writer Jade Lily for her excellent ideas which inspired me greatly. And now we can Quit the formal crap and get on to the fan fic  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Jounichi could tell this was not going to be his day. The moment the teacher, Sensei Kimura said "projects" his imagination filled in the blanks. Some horribly difficult project that couldn't be done last minute worth half his mark kind of thing. Not a good day.  
  
"Jounichi Katsuya!" Sensei Kimura said. "What did I just say?" Jou looked dumbly at his teacher and shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalantly way. Shaking her head Sensei repeated.  
  
"I will be picking your partners for this project. Aaaannnnnnddddd. I frankly do not care whether or not you enjoy the company of your partner or not. The project will be due in at the end of the summer break. Don't screw this up." Turning to her desk the sensei grabbed a piece of chalk and started writing names on the board.  
  
Ryou + Yami *composed and dignified nod*  
*sweatdrop*  
  
Yugi + Malik "cool"  
"yeah"  
  
Bakura + Marik "one wrong move and I'll."  
"If you had just gotten the stupid puzzle I would be Pharaoh and sitting in a throne instead of this stupid desk!"  
  
Tristen + Otogi "riiiigghhhhtttt" *sweatdrop*  
"Are you still jealous about Serentity?"  
  
Seto + Jounichi NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
The chalk dropped from the sensei's hands. "Excuse me?" she said.  
  
Jou and Seto looked at each ther. well. glared would be the more proper term.  
  
Clearing his throat Jou said "Heh heh. noooooo. um. no reason why we shouldn't get an "A" heh heh " *sweat drop*  
  
"Yeah." Seto agreed. What the Mutt said. I mean Jounichi said."  
  
"That's what I thought" the sensei said turning back to the board to finish writing the rest of the partners names up.  
  
Seto shot Jou a look that plainly said he'd meant that "Mutt" comment. Jou turned his nose up and looked back at the board.  
  
'I wonder what kind of project this is going to be' Jou thought. He didn't have to wait long though.  
  
"Class. It's time to explain the project. Each of you has a partner that has a different background, whether it be ethnical or economical." Seto shot Jou another one of his famous smirks. No surprise now how he'd wound up with the puppy. The mutt was dirt poor.  
  
"You will be expected to spend a minimum of five days at your partners house. You will write down comparisons between your homes and families. I also expect an essay minimum three pages single spaced. You may now meet with your partners to discuss your project."  
  
Seto glanced over at Jou and noticed the blonde boy looked extremely pale. "What's a matter, mutt? Afraid I won't take you for your daily walk?"  
  
"Shut up, moneybags" Jou shot back.  
  
Slouched in his chair Jou attempted to ignore Seto until the final bell rang dismissing them to go home.  
  
Seto got up and expected Jou to be racing to get out of class but instead the blonde stayed where he was and waited for the class to file out. Seto had the feeling this was about him and stayed within earshot just out side the door.  
  
"What can I do for you, Jounichi?" the sensei asked.  
  
"I can't complete this assignment."  
  
"And why not?" Seto peeked around the corner to see Jou's back to him and the sensei's arms folded in annoyance.  
  
"I can't have anyone over to my place. My father doesn't let me."  
  
"What do you mean your father won't let you?"  
  
"I mean my father won't let me. I've lived in that place for three years and the only people who've seen the inside are me, my old man, and the landlord when he comes in to fix something."  
  
"Can't you discuss this with your father?" Jou shook his head. "Well, if you won't, then I will. This is a very large percentage of your grade next term and I'm sure your father wants you to do well."  
  
"But."  
  
"Good day Jounichi. I'll see you tomorrow." Seto taking his cue quickly left before Jounichi could see he'd been spying. Seto wondered what Jou was hiding. "Probably a bone" Seto thought with a smirk as he got into his limo and headed home.  
  
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Well people what do you think. A Yes or No? R&R please 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers are in Chapter 1 K?  
  
To the following Reviewers: Ranma Higurashi, Jadej.j, DaughterofDeath, Joey- lover, Lil Bre, YamisGal, someone, jade-lily, Kaelas, Princess Razu, Kimbra- fire and phwee? yami hobo. You people make this all worth while. *sends big bear hugs to all reviewers* ... Did I mention I love you people?  
  
On to Chapter 2  
  
Jou got home to an empty apartment that day. Luckily his father was out somewhere. Either at work or a pub. Checking the calendar where Jou insisted his father wrote all his shifts Jou noted he was supposed to be working. But with his old man, Jou could never be sure.  
  
Jou got to work on cleaning up the small apartment. It wasn't that dirty because Jou was the only one who really spent time in the apartment. It was just messy and if it got out of hand there would be hell when his father got home.  
  
Jou also got some dinner ready. He was no spectacular cook but he knew how to boil water and open a package of pasta. He had dinner on the living room coffee table and was just sitting down to watch a bit of television when his father came home.  
  
"Dinner's ready, dad." Jou said meekly. Jou looked up at his father. A slight bruise was growing apparent on the man's cheek and he reeked of mint. Jou knew that was just a cover up for the alcohol though.  
  
'Shit' Jou thought, 'I wonder who he's pissed off this time' Choosing to say nothing about the bruise, Jou dished his father some pasta. It was useless not asking because his father said, "You see this?" he asked pointing to his blueing cheek. "This is what happens when I try and save a few dollars! 'Could you buy me a drink?' and WHAP he hits me!"  
  
Staggering into the bathroom Jou noticed he veered to one side as he walked. 'Drunk' thought Jou. This should be fun.  
  
Jou jumped when the phone rang. "Should I get that, dad?" His father came back into the living room and said, "If it's for me I'm not home yet." Nodding Jou picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, may I please speak to the father of Jounichi Katsuya?"  
  
"Sensei!?!"  
  
"Oh! Hello Jounichi. Can I speak with your father?"  
  
Jou looked up at his father and mouthed, "It's my teacher for you." Jou's father's face grew bright red. "What the FUCK does your teacher want?!?" He yelled. Storming over to Jou his father picked him up by the collar and shook him. The phone dropped from Jou's hand "Boy if you've been skipping class, your in DEEP SHIT! You hear!?!" Jou nodded his head but that wasn't good enough for Jou's father. Jou suddenly felt himself being lifted upwards. Tensing his body Jou felt himself fall into the coffee table, with a yelp of pain, knocking off the pasta dish, which in turn shattered loudly on the floor.  
  
"Get back here, boy!" but Jou scrambled out of reach. Unfortunately, he found himself in a corner with no way out.  
  
"Dad," He pleaded. "If I'm marked up when I get to school they're gonna ask questions." But his pleas fell on deaf ears as an iron fist found it's way into Jounichi's stomach.  
  
Having enough Jou's father went into Jou's room and started wrecking Havoc looking for Jou's money. After a minute of ruckus, "Where the FUCK is your money?"  
  
"Come on, Dad, I need that for school." Walking back into the living room where Jou was fighting to get his breath back Jou's father walked right up to Jounichi's corner and put his face right in front of Jou's pale one.  
  
"Where's the money?" He asked in a dead calm. He couldn't hide the smell of whiskey from this range. Still clutching his stomach Jou got up and walked to the cleaning cupboard with his father on his heels. Opening the door Jou had twenty dollars in a zip-lock bag in plain view. It was the perfect hiding spot too. Jou figured if his father was being noble enough to sweep he could have the money. But that was not the case. Jou's father took the baggie and left.  
  
Jou sank back to the floor for a little bit to wait for the sharp pain his father had given him to decrease to the dull throb it usually did. When he was stable enough to move confidently, Jou went to the coffee table and started picking up the spilt pasta and the broken dish. He righted the table and sat down on the couch. He didn't feel like cleaning his room just now.  
  
Finally, tears threatened to fall and Jou's nose started to run. "Jerk." He muttered. Sniffling a little. He was too tired to bother getting a Kleenex. Then, stretching himself out on the couch Jou glanced at something that made his stomach feel worse than when he'd been punched.  
  
The phone was off the hook and Jou had the haunting suspicion Sensei Kimura had heard the whole thing. Picking up the phone Jou shakily said "Hello?" Nothing. Jou breathed a sigh of relief. The phone must have been disconnected. Then, "Jounichi? Are you alright?"  
  
She had heard everything.  
  
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Well Obviously I could be a little more original and not do the whole drunken abusive father but what can I say? I'm Typical. Besides, people seem to like reading the 'drunken father style. But I promise you wonderful readers two things: One, Seto will be in the next chapter (for all you Seto fans) and two I won't have Jou be a blubbering "oh save me Seto" because that pisses me right off. I generally like to keep the characters attitudes similar to the TV series and I hardly see Jou Blubbering. That's all for now. 


	3. Chapter 3

You reviewers are beautiful you hear me? There's so many of you I can't write them all but just ask Jade Lily (My best friend) I was skipping around my school all day practically singing "I have fans!" So for you beautiful people another chapter shall be available.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
When Seto arrived at school the next day Jounichi wasn't there. Cursing the blonde's name he took his seat. Glancing over at the mutt's empty desk, Seto noticed Yugi looked worried. Yugi caught Seto staring at Jou's desk and said, "I don't know where he is either so don't ask."  
  
"Like I care where the mutt is. The only thing I care about is getting our stupid project done."  
  
*Bell Rings*  
  
"Good morning class," Sensei Kimura said. "I received some questions yesterday concerning your projects so I will clarify that for you and answer any more questions you might have."  
  
Sitting on the front of her desk the sensei continued. "You will be staying at your partner's house WITH your partner. Your partner will do they're every day activities and you will join your partner. For example, if your family is going to church or celebrating a birthday, you will join your partner. However if your partner has work or a summer job, you are not expected to go. In fact, I discourage accompanying your partner to their place of work. But nothing else is excused."  
  
So that answers your question Ms. Assassin of the Shadow's question. If there are any more questions feel free to ask. There's no such thing as a stupid question."  
  
Marik put his hand up. "Yes Marik?"  
  
"If my family tradition is to kill any outsiders can I be excused from this project?"  
  
*Sensei sweatdrops* "I stand corrected. Are there any legitimate questions? No? Right then. She said clapping her hands together. "On with our lesson."  
  
Class was nothing spectacular. They spent an hour working on simple interest and compounded interest which Seto had been doing since he was eight. Needless to say the sensei said nothing when Seto pulled out some of his "gizmos", as Mokuba called them" to work on.  
  
When at last the class was over Sensei Kimura yelled over the noise of scraping chairs, "I expect a schedule from each pair of partners letting me know when you will be at your partners house and for how long. Hand it in on Monday." Then turning to Seto who was packing up his work she said "And could you please stay a bit, Kaiba?" Nodding his agreement Kaiba finished packing and walked to the front of the class and sat on Jounichi's cold empty desk.  
  
"Kiaba, we need to discuss your project with Mr. Jounichi."  
  
"What's to discuss?" Seto asked with a slight sneer. "I suffer with Jounichi at my house for a week and then I suffer at his place for a week. I was listening in class."  
  
"In know you were." She snapped. Seto was a little taken aback. Sure he was a 'cheeky' fellow but he'd never pissed a teacher off before. But as soon a Seto thought that she was back to her old objective self and Seto was left wondering whether he had imagined the whole thing.  
  
"So what's the problem?" Seto asked.  
  
"I'm afraid it's not possible for you to spend your week at Jounichi Katsuya's house." She answered.  
  
"And why not?" Seto asked crossing his arms irritably. Surely Jounichi's little whine about his father 'not letting him' have company didn't convince the sensei but apparently it did.  
  
"There seem to be some technical difficulties with Mr. Jounichi's father and it is not a possibility. Therefore, to make up for the inconvenience Jounichi will be spending a minimum of ten days at your house, and you will be expected to write your notes on Jounichi's reaction to your living environment. I imagine it is very different from his own." Seto snorted at this comment.  
  
'Different all right.' Seto thought. Comparing our houses is like comparing our duelling talent. We're not even in the same league.  
  
"I know," said the sensei, jerking Seto from his thoughts "That what I'm asking you to do will be much more difficult to write so you will not be expected to do as much work. You can use your own discretion as to the length." Seto nodded and proceeded to leave. "And Kiaba, I expect a schedule from you and Jounichi by Monday as well. Have a nice weekend."  
  
Seto grunted and left the classroom. When he got to his limo he pulled out his lap top and opened the Domino City Super pages and looked for Jounichi's address. Finding it quickly he gave it to the driver and demanded to be taken to a block from the address.  
  
When Seto got there he was not surprised to find the neighbourhood an unpleasant one. There were a few bums sitting around. None of them asked Seto for change. Seto didn't exactly have the friendliest of face today. Jounichi had pissed him off. The stupid mutt came up with some lame ass story about his 'old man' and such, and now Seto had to do extra work.  
  
Finding Jounichi's apartment Seto easily broke into the main lobby. From the mail boxes he was able to figure out Jounichi lived in apartment 706 on the seventh floor. Seto, finding the elevator out of service, took the stairs.  
  
When he reached Jounichi's floor, he quickly found apartment 706 and knocked loudly on the door.  
  
Jounichi had had a rough night, needless to say and didn't get much sleep. Jou's father wasn't expected back until around four so all Jou had was his memories. Sensei Kimura had heard the whole episode last night. 'Too bad she hadn't just hung up' Jou thought bitterly. But no, she hadn't. Not only did she not hang up, but the moment Jou asked "Hello?" she started badgering Jou with questions.  
  
"Is this the first time your father's hit you?"  
  
"How long has your father been hurting you?"  
  
"Does he hurt you often?"  
  
"Have you told anyone?"  
  
"Why does your father hit you?"  
  
They were really annoying questions that the sensei had just thrown at him one after another. She hadn't even given Jou a chance to answer any of the questions, not that he would of. Jou was no weakling and he didn't need his schoolteacher standing up for him. If and when Jou figured out what to do it would be on his own. As it was, Jou was counting the days till he was eighteen and didn't need a legal guardian to do stuff.  
  
As it was, Jou was in no mood to go to school and get sympathy looks from the sensei. Yugi and Yami were way too aware of what was happening in other people's lives and Jou didn't want them mixed up in his home life.  
  
Jou spent most of the Friday on the couch switching from hot packs to ice packs on his bruised and sore stomach. At around three thirty though there was a loud knock on the door. Fearing the worst, though Jou wasn't sure if his dad or his sensei was worst, Jou stumbled over to the door holding the ice pack in his hand.  
  
Opening the door he decided this wasn't the worst possible scenario. It was his funeral cause he was about to have his head removed by a very pissed off looking Seto Kaiba.  
  
"Kaiba?!" Jou said for lakc of anything better to say.  
  
"Hello Mutt." He growled. "Did we forget to do something today? Like saaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy COMING TO CLASS?!?!?!?!?"  
  
Jou staggered backwards at the viciousness in Seto's voice, and stumbling he fell backwards into his apartment with a grunt, narrowly missing hitting the coffee table for the second time in twenty four hours.  
  
"What's a matter? The Puppy forgotten how to walk?"  
  
"Shut up, Kaiba." Making no move to help Jounichi, Kaiba invited himself into the apartment and closed the door behind him.  
  
"Let me tell you what happened today. Sensei Kimura fell for the bullshit story you fed her after school yesterday. You know, the one about your father not letting you have company to your place, not that I can blame him." Seto muttered to himself as he looked around.  
  
Jou, main while, was still sitting on the floor having not gotten over the shock of having Kaiba barge into his apartment.  
  
Kaiba didn't say anything for the next few minutes. He was infact studying Jou's place and storing it to memory to help him with his project. Everything from the crooked picture frame on the wall to what looked like a pasta sauce stain on the carpet.  
  
Jou finally getting a grip stood up (with much difficulty that Seto who was busy surveying Jou's place didn't notice) and said "I'm pretty damn sure you didn't come all the way to my place to lecture me on cutting class, so get to the point of this little visit and be gone already.  
  
Smirking, Seto said. "As I was saying the sensei believes your story and sou our project is a little different. You have to spend ten days at my place and I have to write about your reactions to my lifestyle. We also have to set a date for when you will be coming to my house by Monday."  
  
"Make it up." Jou said.  
  
"Make what up? The date?"  
  
"No. Your essay thingy. Just make it up. You've seen my place, just write some bull shit about how I can't get over how big it is and stuff. She lap it up and we won't have to spend ten days in each other's hair." Jou paused for a moment. "Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Well what do you think of my plan?"  
  
"Amateur. Just like your duelling talents." Jou stuck his tongue out, but Kaiba chose to ignore him. "School gets out on Tuesday. You can, and will, come to my house on Wednesday and you will spend ten days there. Don't bother feeding me a bullshit story about your dad, just be at my place by five o'clock pm." And with that Kaiba left Jou's apartment and got into his limo which promptly drove up the moment Seto exited the apartment. It was going to be a long ten days.  
  
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Well what do you think? Good? Bad? Some where in between? Your reviews do matter. All you authors out there know how inspiring it is to write when people review your stuff so help me out and I'll love you for it. And as for Kael(dra) Hawkins, I know it's wonderful when people update every day, but unfortunately I'm a competitive dancer so I have three hour practices three times a week (Tuesday Thursday Friday) and I have a competition Friday Saturday and Sunday So I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update, but for you, I will try and squeeze something in here and there. To everyone else, like I said before, You're beautiful and I love you all! *Sends more hugs to reviewers* Bye! 


	4. Chapter 4

FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAALLYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
My stupid document manager wouldn't upload anything for the last week! I wrote this chapter on Wednesday and today was the first day it actually worked. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY. Thankyou for waiting and I Love you people (but you already knew that didn't you?) On with another chapter.  
  
Chapter four  
  
When Jou showed up for school on Monday he braced himself for the worst. Just as he was entering the classroom, Jou realised he needed a story for his absentee on Friday. Not for his teacher, cause she already knew, but for Yugi and the others. Jou smirked at the first thought that came to mind. (Jou's mental ideas)  
  
"Uh, yeah. You see, I kinda have this AH HEM! Bladder problem and I went to see the docter and all."  
  
'Or not' Jou thought. Can't say dentist. Can't say sick. Stomach Ulcer? Do people get bruises from stomach ulcers? Ah screw it. I'll tell the sensei loudly that I went to the doctor and I'll tell my friends I skipped.  
  
Walking in, fashionably late as usual, the first thing Joey heard was Kaiba's voice over the silence of the room. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up. Sensei? Why don't you ask Jounichi where he was on Friday?"  
  
The sensei looked apologetically to Joey, as if to say "I know," and asked, "Mr. Jounichi." The class snickered at the formal title. Sensei only addressed student personally that way when she knew you were lying. And everyone knew Jou would be lying. "Could you be so kind as to grace my ears with the explanation of your absentee on Friday?"  
  
Jou took it all in stride and played along with the sensei's game. "Of course oh miss sensei."Jou said with mock courtesy. Then waving his arm dramatically he began. "You see, I was walking to school on Friday and I started to run, for I would never want to be late to your exceptionally exciting and moving class, and I," Jou paused searching his brain for some stupid scenario. "and I saw a little pupy stuck in a tree. Never one to disappoint I climbed the tree and save the puppy." Then dropping his corny chivalrous manor Jou finished. "Unfortunately I fell to my near demise and decided I'd done my good deed for the day and didn't need to show up for class." Winking at the sensei he went and took his seat carfully avoiding Seto's eyes as he could feel them burning a hole into him.  
  
"Thank you, Jounichi, for that supreme performance of stupidity. You can stay after class." Addressing the rest of the class she informed them that today they would be getting a lot of their old assignments back and cleaning out their lockers. Tomorrow they would be watching a movie.  
  
It took most of the morning to clean out the lockers but when the lunch bell rang everyone except for Jounichi was finished. When the rest of the class had gone to buy or eat their lunches Sensei Kimura closed the door and approached Jou and his abominably messy locker. "A moment, Jou?"  
  
Jounichi turned around. 'This can't be good' Jou thought. "ahhhhh sure. What's on your mind?"  
  
The sensei gave Joey a look that said she was not to be avoided. Jou sighed audibly and turned his back on the teacher.  
  
"How long, Jounichi?" Jou said nothing and tried to look really busy trying to decide whether or not to throw out a piece of paper that was blank.  
  
"Who knows?" she asked.  
  
Turning to face her. "No one until you called." He accused.  
  
Now it was her turn for silence. While the conversation made perfect sense to Jou and the sensei, to an eavesdropping ear the conversation meant nothing. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Seto went to Jounichi's usual hangout.  
  
Back in the class room a battle of wills was ensuing. Jounichi wanted the sensei to butt out, but the sensei wanted in. The sensei was just about to demand Jou talk to her when she was paged over the PA system. Locking eyes with Jou she said, "Listen, if you won't talk to me at least tell another adult okay? And I want to know who that adult is because I'm going to check. If you don't I am forced, as you teacher, to take immediate action and the result will probably end up with you in temporary foster care until your eighteen. Make up your mind soon Jounichi. I'll talk to you tomorrow and it will not be necessary for you to stay after class. If anyone asks you did your detention at lunch." And with that she left.  
  
When Jou got to his usual meeting place with Yugi and the others he was mildly distressed to see Kaiba there. Turning to leave, Jou was stopped by Kaiba's restraining hand on his shoulder. "Going somewhere, Pup?" Jou said nothing, which he seemed to be doing a lot of today. "So, Mutt, what did the sensei want with you?"  
  
"None of your bees wax, Kaiba. And it's Jounichi, not mutt or pup or any other name that refers to my being canine. You got that?"  
  
"Whatever. Here's a list of what to bring when you come on Wednesday, and remember, be there by 5:00 pm.  
  
Jou nodded his head and took the list Seto had written out for him.  
  
-A six days worth of clothing, laundry will be done on the Monday.  
  
-A bathing suit or two  
  
-your own toiletries  
  
-paper and pen to take notes and write your essay  
  
-your deck (Mokuba might feel like a game or two)  
  
-a formal suit  
  
-business casual  
  
-Perhaps you might like to bring your brain, but that of course is completely optional. I for one know how hard it would be for you to find a decent one.  
  
-Spending money  
  
Jou scowled at the list. That Kaiba had some nerve. Jou frowned at the "business casual" and "formal suit" All Jou owned wear his jeans and his uniform. This was most definitely going to be a very long ten days. Jou hoped Kaiba had work for at least half the days. And for the other half, well, Jou could always go for really long walks.  
  
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Well. That's chapter four for you. Sorry that not much happens. After all, not all the chapters can be as exciting as the second right? Whatever though. Please R&R your opinions do matter. And sorry about the grammatical errors in chapter three. I missed those when I was editing. Feel free to tell me cause I'll change them eventually (if any one really cares) 


	5. Chapter 5

Hello people. I can't believe how many reviews there are. YIKES! On second thought though. Coooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllll. Righty then. I'll stop boring you people who actually read the author's blurb and onto the story.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The Monday night was uneventful because just as Jounichi was getting home his father was leaving. Jou fixed himself a snack and got an ice pack for his stomach, which was feeling enflamed. Pulling up his shirt, Jou checked out his unusually large bruise. "Man that does not look good." Jou thought. He hoped nothing was wrong internally, but he figured 'no' cause he still had an appetite.  
  
When the ice pack was completely melted an hour later, Jou put it back in the freezer and went to his room. He had cleaned it on the weekend and had found an old stash of money he had forgotten about. It wasn't much but Jou figured the twenty bucks would qualify for the spending money Kaiba insisted on.  
  
Jou looked at his list and started to sort out the things he would need. He got his weeks worth of clothes and his basic toiletries (eg tooth brush, hair brush, etc.) in order and then glanced at the list again. His deck never left his pocket and he could just bring his school bag for his writing supplies. Bathing suit. "Oh shit." Jou thought. He'd look great in front of Kaiba in a bathing suit with a massive bruise on his torso. Maybe he could put on a tee shirt and claim that he didn't want to burn or something.  
  
Now about those suits he needed. Twenty bucks wasn't even enough to rent a suit for ten minutes never mind where ever Kaiba was taking him. Jou would just have to figure something else out. Maybe Honda had a suit he could borrow.  
  
Acting on that thought Jou phone Honda. Unfortunately though, Honda found it too hilarious that Seto had given Jou a list to be of any use. Jou went to bed that night no closer to a plan than he had been that afternoon.  
  
********  
  
Tuesday was a, how shall we say, very different experience than Monday. Jou spent the entire day hanging really closely with Yugi and the others so that Sensei Kimura couldn't catch him on his own and force him to talk. The movies, the Animatrix and season one of 'Duel Mania' that Yugi brought, were probably very interesting but unfortunately Jou was so caught up in avoiding the sensei's eye that he didn't pay much attention. The only thing that did demand attention was during the Animatrix called 'second renosance number one' or something when a female robot was getting, not quite gang raped but gang sexually assaulted. Well unfortunately Marik and Bakura and a few of the other boys had found this amusing, it was a robot after all, and were laughing out loud.  
  
Well no one in that classroom had ever seen the Sensei lose it like she did. She shut off the TV and actually said, "What the FUCK is wrong with you?!?!" staring at each one of us boys, even the ones who weren't laughing. "You all have mothers, and sisters and grandmothers! What if that was them screaming for help and people were laughing?!?" The class was silent. Jou could feel the shame rise from the guilty faces that couldn't make eye contact with the sensei. Hell, Jou himself, couldn't make eye contact. He found himself feeling guilty for every dirty thought he'd had in his life.  
  
Shaking her head sensei Kimura turned the movie back on and gradually the heavy silence was lifted.  
  
In the Duel Mania season one all that really happened was a little weevil and Rex bashing between Jou and Honda. When the bell rang Jou managed to sneak out of the class before the sensei could say anything and quickly went home to ponder his list dilemma. By the time Jou actually reached his door a plan hit him in the face so that Jou couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. He could borrow his Dad's suit. Jou was sure he had at least one that he always wore for job interviews.  
  
Jou went inside and held his breath. Looking around, Jou slowly let it out. His father wasn't home yet. Jou went straight to his father's room and promptly opened the closet with in. There it was. Probably the only decent garment his father possessed and Jou would be borrowing it for ten days. Jou' stomach bruise twinged painfully at the thought of how pissed off his father was going to be when Jou got back. Jou took the suit out of the closet and measured it against his much smaller frame. "Oh well" Jou thought. "Maybe if I burst into hysterics my fairy god mother will show up and grant me a tux or something." Jou laughed at both his mental picture of his fairy god mother, which was a sexy she devil, and the image of himself in a smart looking tux, which was, needless to say with Jou's hair style, amusing.  
  
Jou put the suit back though. The last thing he needed was his old man catching him with the suit before Jou left, which, Jou could imagine, would be cause for some technical difficulties. Jou shut himself in his room for the rest of the night. Now if only he could leave tomorrow unnoticed.  
  
Some people are riddled with luck and don't even realize it. Some people make they're own luck. Jounichi Katsuya is bloody cursed cause damned if his father wasn't still home at 4:00pm Wednesday, the exact time Jou had planned to leave.  
  
"Damn!" Jou thought. Putting his duffel bag just inside his room Jou went and joined his father in the living room. "So," Jou said casually. "You uhhh, got any plans today?"  
  
Jou's father looked at him suspiciously. Then he looked back at the TV. "No." He growled at it as if it were the TV's fault. Jou nodded slowly. "Shit." He thought. "How am I supposed to sneak out if the doors next to the TV?" Then a though hit him, maybe he could make a run for it when his old man used the facilities. (Aka the toilet) Acting on this plan Jou said, "Soooooo, Can I get you something to drink? It's pretty hot out and the news was saying that people especially men should be drinking lots."  
  
Now Jou's father just stared at Jou. "What the hell is wrong with you boy?!"  
  
Backing up and preparing himself to bolt Jou managed to stammer, "N N Nothing Dad. I'm just going along with what the news guy said. I was just going to get myself something and, you know, thought I could get something for you while I was up." Jou held his breath. His father was just so unpredictable. Jou's father accepted his story. "Get me a beer." He said.  
  
"Ice?"  
  
Jou's father nodded affirmative.  
  
Easing himself off the couch Jou went into the small kitchen and got himself a soda and his father a beer. Now all he could do was wait. 4:30 came around and two more beers later Jou's father still hadn't relieved himself. 4:45? No such luck.  
  
"Shit on a stick!" Jou thought resorting mentally to his old curse. "Kaiba's going to have my blonde head on a platter tonight, no, more like my whole body." Jou mentally blushed at that thought. "Better just make it my head so no one gets the wrong idea. Glancing over at his father Jou mentally sighed. His father didn't even look like he was going to have to pee in the next hour. "Shit on a stick." Jou thought again. "What a great way to start my new project with Kaiba.  
  
********  
  
"He's late." Seto thought glancing at his watch for the twentieth time that hour. 6:40 pm. Oh how he was going to kill the blonde when he showed up. That puppy probably backed out at the last minute. "No matter," Seto thought. "I'll just go pick him up."  
  
"Cecelia!" He called through the intercom.  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
"I'm going to go and pick up Jounichi Katsuya. Should he arrive before I get back keep him in the house and call me immediately."  
  
"Yes, Mr Kaiba." She answered pleasantly.  
  
As an after thought he added, "and see to it that Mokuba has dinner for me."  
  
"Yes, Mr Kaiba." She answered. She was a pleasant woman and Seto knew he was lucky to have her. Pulling on the dark blue trench coat Seto currently favoured, he hailed his limo driver and they set off to Jou's apartment at a rapid pace.  
  
Seto wasted no time in getting to Jou's apartment room. Placing his hand on the doorknob Seto intended to barge in and demand a reason for Jou's inexcusable tardiness. But then he heard through the door, "You stupid boy you piss me off!"  
  
"Look I'm sorry, Dad! Sheesh! You'd think I'd stolen something the way you're carrying on. It's just a little stain, and if I recall correctly it was you who shoved me into the table in the first place!"  
  
"I don't give a shit how it got there you brat get rid of it!"  
  
"Alright, Alright. Just give me a minute."  
  
Seto heard the sound of a door in the house being opened. Pressing his ear to the door Seto strained to hear what was happening.  
  
Then, "Damn it Katsuya you're blocking my view!" Seto heard a thud then a crash that sounded like a table being knocked over.  
  
"Shit! Dad! You tell me to clean it, then you tell me fuck off! Make up your mind already!"  
  
"Are you getting smart with me?" Seto smelled trouble. Jou said nothing  
  
"Are-you-getting-smart-with-me?" Jou's father said enunciating every syllable. Jou still said nothing.  
  
Seto meanwhile had had enough. Jou was already two hours late and Seto wasn't going to wait much more. Calling into mind what he had seen of Jounichi's place on Friday, Seto figured Jou's father would be on the couch and Jou somewhere near that pasta stain. Seto promptly opened the door, grateful it hadn't been locked and entered Jou's house.  
  
It was an interesting scene that greeted him. Jou's father, who looked pissed drunk was sitting on the couch in a bathrobe that hadn't been washed in weeks, and Jounichi was on the floor sporting a bloody nose and a split lip. His eyes weren't watering so Seto didn't dwell on that.  
  
"Can I help you?" Jou's father slurred at Seto.  
  
"You son is late." Seto replied icily. Looking at Jou, he noticed the blonde wasn't making eye contact with anyone. "Well? Why aren't you getting your stuff?"  
  
Jou didn't move. Jou's father, however, started to giggle a bit, then he burst out into a drunken mans hysterical laughing.  
  
Seto, cringed, being rather disgusted by the old mans appearance and attitude. "What, may I ask, is so funny about your son being two hours late?" Seto noticed Jou glance up at a wall clock but before he could catch the blonde's eye Jou had looked down again. "Get your stuff Jounichi." Seto ordered, "I haven't got all day, you know."  
  
Jou got up and went to his room.  
  
"Where the FUCK do you think you're going?" Jou's father screamed. Seto opened his mouth to explain but Jou beat him to it.  
  
"I'm going to Seto Kaiba's place for ten days to complete a project worth half my mark for next year. I'll be back next Saturday."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. Just who's going to cook around here?"  
  
"It's called instant noodles, dad. I'm sure you can boil a pot of water as well as any."  
  
Jou left the living room and went to the bathroom to deal with his bloody nose leaving Seto alone in the living room with his father. Jou wasn't worried though. He'd seen Kaiba in action against trained professionals. If his father got violent, Jou would feel sorry for his old man who would be the next one sporting a bloody nose.  
  
Jou quickly changed his clothes and took his duffle bag out into the living room and put it by the door. He noticed that no one had moved since he left. His old man was still on the couch now silently glaring at Kaiba trying to burn holes with his eyes, and Kaiba, not even a little bit intimidated, was icily glaring back. Jou shivered at the chill of the ice versus fire in this room.  
  
Then casually going into his father's room, Jou took the suit out of the closet.  
  
"What the hell is that thing?" Seto asked taking his eyes off the old man.  
  
"It's nothing." he said trying to hide it from his father's view. But Jou's father was having none of it.  
  
"That's MY suit!" he roared leaping from the couch. Jou backed against the wall. "What are you doing with it?!"  
  
"I need a suit, dad." Seto started. He'd never thought that Jou might not have one of his own.  
  
"Never mind the suit." He said. Then thinking quickly to save Jou's pride he added, "Besides, you're not wearing that," Seto said with a meaningful glance, "to the meetings with my business partners. We'll pick up something a little more presentable."  
  
Jou blushed slightly at the reference to his father's greebly suit. With a glance at his father, who was fuming at Seto's insulting words, Jou promptly dropped the suit and followed Seto who was already half way out the door.  
  
Suddenly though he felt his father's hand grab his left wrist and pull sharply, biting back a yelp at the pain that shot through his arm Jou dropped the duffle bag in his other hand and tried to free himself. Unfortunately, his father had a vice grip so that Jou's hand was starting to tingle from lack of blood. "You're not going." He hissed at Jou.  
  
Seto, now royally ticked off at the amount of time this was taking grabbed the old man's wrist and squeezed at a pressure point forcing the old man's hand to open. Jou stumbled out of reach and grabbed his bag again, ignoring the throbbing pain his left arm. Once in the hallway, Jou noticed Seto wasn't following yet. Looking back Jou noticed the two were having another staring contest. Then his father did something very, very stupid. With his free arm he took a swing at Seto and hit him squarely in the chest.  
  
Jou's mind went numb with shock. "I can't believe he actually hit Kaiba!" Jou thought franticly. Seto seemed not at all bothered by this. In fact he had on his "I'm gonna kick your ass" smirk that he usually reserved for duels with Jou. Letting go of Jou's father's wrist he hit the old man in the chest three times before shoving him to the floor.  
  
Straightening out his coat in a calm fashion, that gave Jou the impression this was a normal occurrence beating the crap out of people, Seto said "Jounichi will be back next Saturday at the earliest. Don't bother trying to visit or make contact or I will have you forcefully removed from my premises. While Jounichi's father had no intention of 'visiting' the threat was effective all the same. Stepping over the fallen form of Jou's father, Seto joined Jounichi in the hallway and shut the door behind himself. He then promptly made his way down the stairs and out the door with Jounichi following at a loss for words. Or following like a puppy in Seto's opinion.  
  
Whew! That's all for chapter five. And now the fun begins. Mwa ha ha ha. Until next time. Later Dayz. 


	6. Chapter 6

Well! I certainly got a nice response from you guys (and gals) Well, mostly gals I would think. Thanx as usual. Mind I just was informed I've been spelling Jounichi incorrectly and it's actually supposed to be Jounouchi or something like that. Whatever though. I'm not going to change over now though cause, well, you know how it is. You read something but hear another thing. I can never picture Jounouchi. Alas I'm a loser. But who really cares? You all know who I'm talking about so, well, just deal with it! I need to lighten up. It's just that I've finally gotten a negative review and I'm slowly getting over it. I'm the kind of person that thrives on personal cheerleaders. Just ask Jade Lily. She'll tell you. Any who. On with chapter 6  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Seto's limo driver opened the trunk and carefully laid Jounichi's stuff as though it were glass and not Jou's old duffle bag and school bag. He quickly opened the door for Seto and waited until both boys were comfortably seated before rushing off to get in the driver's seat.  
  
"Talk about service!" Jou thought. Glancing around the spacious limo he noticed a TV, a small fridge, not mentioning that the seats were all covered in leather. Jou also noticed a personal touch with Kaiba's laptop and a picture of Mokuba in the limo.  
  
Unfortunately for Jou he couldn't avoid Seto forever. As it was when Jou had casually glanced over in the direction Seto was sitting in, his curious glance was met by a cold hard stare.  
  
Jou quickly glanced away but Seto wouldn't have it. "Well?" He said irritably.  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"I think you owe me an explanation."  
  
"I don't owe you anything!" Jou retorted mentally squirming at the guilt. Kaiba had just saved his butt back there but Jou wasn't going to say anything if he didn't have to. But Seto knew what he was owed and Jou could see it in his eyes. "Alright then. Thanks for helping me out." Then crossing his arms Jou turned in his chair and purposefully looked out the window as if there was something of interest out there through the tinted windows.  
  
Seto scoffed seeing Jou's ploy for what it was. He let it pass though because they were almost at the mansion. "Besides," Seto thought. "I have ten days to interrogate him and I WILL get answers or my name's not Seto Kaiba." Smirking at Jou's back Seto started to undo his seatbelt. Jou couldn't see the mansion from that side. He was going to get quite a shocker when he turned around and Seto would have it all on tape.  
  
"We're here." He said simply. Jou turned around acknowledging that he wasn't alone in the limo. He couldn't see much through the tinted windows but he could see something big.  
  
Jou reached to the door handle with his sore arm but Seto grabbed it. "Jou," he said ignoring Jou's wince. "When you are living in my house you follow my rules. I pay people to open the door and carry luggage." Jou nodded and Seto released his arm. Seto's driver promptly opened the door and the two stepped out, Kaiba then Jounichi.  
  
Jou was dumbfounded by what he saw. "Holy Shit." Was all his dry tongue could muster at the sight of Seto's house, "And I'm gonna be living here for ten days!" Jou thought excitedly. If he could just stay out of Kaiba's way this would be heaven on Earth!  
  
"It is pretty big isn't it?" Seto said with a certain cockiness to his voice. "Mind," he added. "It must seem a lot bigger coming from that dump of an apartment.  
  
Jou gritted his teeth. "Jerk." He muttered under his breath. But Seto heard. He fortunately chose to say nothing.  
  
"Come on then." Seto said arrogantly walking up the front steps. "I'll have Cecelia, my head servant, show you to a room.  
  
"A room?" Jou thought. "How many rooms are there to sleep in?"  
  
Once Jou was inside the main hall he was once again dumfounded by the sheer size of the interior. So focused, was Jou, that he didn't hear Kaiba quietly say to Cecelia, "Show him to the sleeping quarters and let him pick a room to sleep in."  
  
"Do you like it?" Seto said with a smirk interrupting Jou's train of thought. Jou, finally catching on to just how stupid he must look goggling at Seto's house, straightened up and said, "It's nice, but not too cosy looking."  
  
Seto snorted at this. "Whatever." he said. "Cecelia will show you to a room now."  
  
Jou nodded and followed Cecelia who was already moving up a large staircase to the right of the entrance. When at last, Cecelia slowed to a stop Jou knew he was doomed to be lost a million times over in the Kaiba mansion.  
  
"You may pick any room you like in this hallway unless the door is locked." Cecelia said. "I will come back later to fetch you for dinner." And she bowed and left the way she came.  
  
Jou looked down the hallway and sighed. So many rooms to choose from, and so little time. Excitement bubbled in Jou as though he were a small child on Christmas and he went from room to room opening doors at his leisure. Then he found a room that suited his mood. It was a pale blue room with an expensive looking comforter on the bed and matching accessories. Checking out the bathroom Jou noticed it was also large and contained a very large bathtub that Jou intended to occupy before the night was through. "This IS the life!" Jou thought reverently.  
  
Jou then left the room and proceeded to count the number of doors down the room was. "Five doors from the way I came. Okay. I can do this. Pacing the hall, Jou checked the other doors looking for the 'locked' door. He found one exactly opposite the room Jou had chosen. "This must be Seto's room." Jou thought. Jou hoped he and Seto never got up at the same time. Suddenly overcome by a great curiousity as to what Seto's room looked like Jou jiggled the handle to see if it would open. No such luck. Then Jou felt a hand on his shoulder. Jumping a mile, Jou turned to see, not Seto, but Cecelia.  
  
"Is there a reason you are trying to get into Mr. Kaiba's room, sir?" Jou squirmed under the scrutiny of the house keeper.  
  
"Errrrrr. No. Of course not. My mistake." Jou said with a stupid grin on his face.  
  
"Of course you weren't." Cecelia said with a look that plainly said she'd trust a cat with tuna more than Jou. "This way." She said. "Mr. Kaiba insists that you join him for dinner.  
  
Jou followed closely determined not to get lost in the large house. When Jou got to the dining room though he was caught by surprise. Instead of a huge ornately decorated room and accessories, there was a simple yet elegant design to the room, and the table was small and simple. No candles or silver plated stuff anywhere. Just, practical.  
  
Jou sat down in the chair Cecelia indicated for him and came back shortly bearing three large bowls of bright orange macaroni and cheese.  
  
"Mokuba!" Seto called. "Your dinner's getting cold."  
  
"I'm coming. Just let me finish this level. Pllllllleeeeeeeaaaaaassssssseeeee?!?!"  
  
"Now, Mokuba!" Seto said, with a dangerous edge to his voice, Jou noted. Mokuba must have heard that too because he quickly showed up and tucked himself in and started ploughing into the pile of food.  
  
Jou himself plunged into the pile of food realising just now that he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. It's not that there was nothing to eat, it's just that Jou sometimes forgot to eat and no one but him cared if Jou was malnourished or not.  
  
Seto, seemingly the only one in the room with manners, slowly ate his pile of mac and cheese while watching his guest shovel food into his mouth at alarming rates. "Rather like a dog." Seto thought. "I don't know why he bothers with the fork though." Mentally snickering, Seto was forced to keep his thoughts to himself. He couldn't really talk with his brother next to him eating in a similar manner.  
  
After the macaroni was finished, Cecelia cleared the table and said. "I'm off for tonight, Mr. Kaiba. I'll see you tomorrow at eight." Seto nodded and watched Mokuba run off to play more video games. Seto knew he would have to wean his brother off that soon but he figured "It's the first week of summer break. Why not let him play a bit?" Turning to his guest Seto said aloud. "You're stuff has been brought up to the sleeping quarters. The staff all leave at eight so it's up to you to put it in whatever room you chose." Jou nodded.  
  
"What's wrong?" Seto asked.  
  
"Huh? Oh nothing! It's just that I'm not sure how to get back to the sleeping quarters." Jou said quietly.  
  
Seto laughed out loud. "I guess it IS a little confusing." He said. "Right." He said, almost nervously, "I guess I'll show you up to the hall myself." With that he got up and walked towards one of the three doors leading out of the dining room. Turning he waited for Jou to follow. Jou jumped up quickly but then nearly fell from the pain from his stomach. He's forgotten he was bruised.  
  
"What's wrong?" Seto asked showing mild concern for Jou's condition.  
  
"Errrr I think I ate too much." Jou fibbed. Like HELL he was going to say his stomach had bruised to colours that didn't look normal on the human body including rather nice shade of purple that Jou was particularly fond of when it wasn't on him.  
  
Seto just nodded accepting Jou's story for the time being but something was nagging at the back of his mind that he couldn't quite place. Maybe the puppy was telling the truth. After all, his father had hit his face not his stomach. Seto quickly led Jou to the sleeping quarters then turned and pulled something out of his pocket. Handing it to Jou he said, "Here's a basic map of the mansion, should you get lost. If you need something to eat during the night just go to the kitchen there's always something in the fridge or one of the cupboards."  
  
Jou nodded all through Seto's little 'speech', and when Seto finished Jou said, "Right then. Thanks a lot, Kaiba."  
  
Nodding Seto added. "I'm going to get some work done tonight. You can settle in and go to bed or have a bath but try not to make much noise after Mokuba goes to bed at ten." Jou nodded. He was getting really good at nodding, Seto noticed.  
  
Then Jou said, "Right then. I guess this is goodnight?"  
  
"I suppose." Seto said a little bit uncomfortable. The only one who said 'GOOD'night to him was Mokuba and sometimes Cecelia. Usually his parting words were, "I expect a check on my desk in the morning." Or "Get off my property before I have you removed!" usually followed by rude hand gestures involving the middle finger.  
  
Whatever though. Seto turned abruptly and left before Jou could notice his words had had any affect on Seto, and Jou was left standing in the middle of the hallway.  
  
"Right," He muttered to himself. Five doors down from that side of the hallway. Counting the doors Jou opened the fifth door and peered in. Yup. This was the room. Jou knew exactly what he wanted to do. Putting his stuff under the bed, as not to ruin the immaculate effect of the room, Jou promptly locked the door and stripped down to his duel monsters boxers. Casually glancing at his reflection Jou had to take a double back. He'd been wearing his typical white short and long sleeve blue ensemble. He hadn't thought that his arm would be covered in polka dots. Looking directly at his arm, Jou counted approximately fifteen finger print bruises up his left arm. "No wonder it hurts so much." Jou muttered to his reflection. Sparing a glance for his torso, Jou noticed, much to his dismay, that his stomach bruise hadn't started to clear up yet. Oh well. Jou knew something that would make it all better. "Hot Tub!" Jou climbed in and shut his eyes. "This is the life!" he thought  
  
***********  
  
Seto finished his work a lot faster than he had thought he would. Making his way to the games room, he was pleased to see Mokuba had already shut off the game system and gone to bed so Seto wouldn't have to fight with him. Going upstairs to the sleeping quarters, Seto glanced down the hall and briefly wondered what room Jou had chosen. Then, telling himself it wasn't important, pulled out his key and unlocked his room.  
  
Seto went straight to his bed and flopped himself down. Taking off his shirt, Seto noticed a bruise on his chest where Jou's father had punched him. "Oh well." Seto thought. My fault for getting involved I suppose." Seto stretched his limber body out to relieve the tension he was feeling then rolled on his stomach to ponder Jou's situation.  
  
He probably wasn't kidding when he had told Sensei Kimura that he wasn't allowed company. "Probably the shock of me just barging in is what stopped Jou's father from acting sooner." Seto thought with a wry smile. Oh well, Seto turned off the lights and drifted off into a light sleep on his bed.  
  
************  
  
Jou, meanwhile, was so prunny looking from the hour and a half he had spent in the tub, that he decided it was time to get out. Grabbing one of the towels from a rack beside the tub Jou quietly got out of the water. Quietly, as it was after ten. Shaking his hair to get rid of the water that was weighing it down, Jou wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the door between the bathroom and the bedroom.  
  
"That's funny." Jou thought. "I don't remember turning off the lights. Probably some energy saving scheme installed in the house. Turning on the lights Jou was met by a nasty surprise. Laying on his bed was Seto Kaiba. A Seto Kaiba who was sleeping and was now very wide awake. "Oooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Shhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiittttttttt." Jou said aloud.  
  
"Oh Shit is right." Said the coldest voice Jou had ever heard.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Heee heee. I'm so evil to leave it hanging here. But I'll try to write more before I leave for camp. Farewell for now.  
  
The Jade meister 


	7. Chapter 7

Jou slowly backed up until his damp back was against the bathroom door. Glancing back into the bathroom Jou checked to make sure there wasn't another door or something. Nope. This was definitely the room he had picked earlier.  
  
"May I be so bold as to ask what possessed you to break into the room? I know I locked it." Jou said nervously.  
  
"This is MY bedroom!" Kiaba yelled vehemently. Seto was sitting up now and Jou noticed the bruise on his chest. Then glancing down Jou attempted vainly to cover his own torso bruise.  
  
"How is this your bedroom?" Jou asked. "The door was unlocked and on top of that, that Cecelia woman said the room across was 'Mr. Kaiba's room.' I should know. I tried to break in and she caught me." Jou paused for a moment. "On second thought, ignore that whole breaking in thing."  
  
Seto meanwhile was shaking his head. What Jounichi was saying was actually plausible. Today, being Wednesday, was cleaning day and whoever cleaned his room might have failed to lock the door behind herself. Seto however was enjoying Jou's nervousness and continued feigning disbelief. Getting off his bed to further intimidate Jou he said. "The room across from this room is Mokuba's. He is, after all, a Kaiba."  
  
Jou said nothing. Swallowing a lump that was in his throat, Jou inched towards the bed that Seto was standing in front of.  
  
"Sorry." Jou said. Though he wasn't too sorry. It had been a very nice bath. Then grabbing his stuff out from under his, well no, Kaiba's bed, Jou quickly went to the door with Seto glaring daggers into his back.  
  
With nothing else to do, Jou quickly went down the hall and picked the room farthest from Seto's room. Plunking his stuff on the floor, Jou lay himself down on the bed, mentally exhausted. As an after thought, Jou got up to lock the door. "Not that in matters much." Jou thought. "Seto, probably has a key to every room in the house. It was his after all." Just as Jou got to the door it opend to reveal a dark hallway and Seto Kaiba outside his door. "Dressed in black boxers." Jou couldn't help but notice. Then deciding the man's waistline was not the polite place to be looking he moved his gaze up to stare defiantly into Seto's eyes.  
  
"Is this room taken, too?" He asked.  
  
Seto smirked, "No." He said. "I thought you might like these back." He said waving a pair of duel monsters boxers around. Jou blushed furiously and made a grab for them but Seto kept them just out of Jou's reach. Glaring, Jou made another attempt to grab them but missed again.  
  
"Fine!" Jou hissed. "I didn't know you were interested in 'men's' underwear, but I always thought you'd be the panty snatcher type!" Now it was Seto's turn to blush giving Jou all the time he needed to snatch his boxers back. "And in the future," Jou said feeling the master of the situation for once, "I would appreciate it if you would knock!" Then shutting the door in Seto's face and locking it, Jou swaggered over to the bed and plopped himself down for a good night's sleep.  
  
***********  
  
BANG BANG BANG!  
  
Jou jumped out of bed and looked around stupidly. Glancing down Jou noticed something was missing and quickly put on a clean pair of boxers to fix the problem. Jou hoped desperately no one had come in the night and seen him in his. moment of nothingness.  
  
BANG BANG BANG!  
  
"Get up Jounichi!" Jou wondered briefly who that was then realized it was Mokuba. Opening his door a crack, Jou popped his head out.  
  
"What's up Mokuba?" Jou asked staring at the pyjama clad kid before him. Grinning mischievously, Mokuba said.  
  
"Seto says it's time for breakfast and sent me to fetch you. I think he's still embarrassed about last night." The wicked grin never left Mokuba's face. "So what WERE you doing in my brother's room?" Jou shook his head and shut the door. "Were you waiting to greet him or did you have something else in mind?" He heard through the door. "Why were your boxers in his room? What DID you say to him. Are you gonna go in his room again tonight? Can I watch? Did you really-"  
  
"MOKUBA! SHUT UP!" Jou and Mokuba jumped. Mokuba turned somewhat sheepishly to face his fuming brother. Jou opened his door a crack again to see a bright red Seto glaring at his little brother. Then Seto glanced at Jou with an apologetic look on his face and said, "Breakfast is ready. So, ummm, you can come down when ever you want but I'm leaving in an hour so make it sooner rather than later."  
  
Jou nodded and pulled his head into his room. He hoped Seto hadn't noticed that Jou had caught the meaning of Mokuba's inquiries. More so he hoped Mokuba hadn't seen. That kid was cruel. Jou quickly got dressed and was about to go downstairs when as an after thought, he pulled a clean pair of socks out of his bag and stuffed them in his pocket. Then he went downstairs, with the map Seto had given him last night in front of him.  
  
"Okay," Jou muttered to himself. "Walk down the stairs and turn right. Walk to the main staircase and go one more door past on my left side. Go down that hallway to the elavator at the end then go up to the fourth floor." Doing these instructions Jou eventually found himself in the dining room after getting lost only once.  
  
"Glad you could make it." Seto said comfortably from the table where he was drinking a coffee and reading the paper.  
  
"What a freak." Jou thought. What kind of teenager reads the stock section in the morning? Mokuba was sitting at his spot eating a bowl of corn pops unusually silent. Jou wondered what Seto had said to him to shut him up.  
  
Jou, not really sure what he should be doing, sat down at the table. Seto, with out looking up from his paper said. "Would you like cornpops, miniwheats with frosting, fruit loops, lucky charms or cocoa puffs? There's also toast, pancakes if you care to wait, frozen waffles, and fresh fruit. Pick something."  
  
"uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh. Ummmmmmmmmm. Heh Geeeeeee, I'll have what Mokuba's having."  
  
Seto glanced over at Mokuba's bowl and said loudly, "A bowl of corn pops." Jou heard the sound of cereal being poured in the kitchen and a moment later Cecelia came in bearing a bowl of corn pops and a pitcher of milk, which she left in front of Jou.  
  
"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhttttttt." Jou muttered under his breath. Then he heard a giggle from Mokuba. "What's funny now?"  
  
"Ahem! Nothing."  
  
"Oh."  
  
With a sly grin Mokuba said, "So what DID happen last night?"  
  
Seto slammed his coffee cup down and was about to yell at Mokuba but Jou beat him to it.  
  
"Mokuba, Kid. Look. You know I like you a lot and I think you're a great kid. But really now, put a sock in it. If you don't got a sock to shove in that annoying mouth of yours you can use one of mine." Seto meanwhile proceeded to drink his coffee thoroughly enjoying Mokuba's shocked reaction to Jou actually disciplining him. Then reaching into his pocket Jou carefully lay his clean socks on the table and added. "They're clean but if clean socks don't shut you up, dirty ones are always available."  
  
Mokuba swallowed, a little nervous at the threat, while Seto nearly choked on his coffee as he was trying to stifle a giggle. Mokuba, seeing Seto's rare laugh smiled a bit and making eye contact with Jou shrugged to say he had no idea what was so funny.  
  
When Seto managed to get him self under control, he stood up quickly and said, "I have to go in to the office today, but I'll be home around dinner time. You can just hang around the house with Mokuba and entertain yourself." And with that he left Jou and Mokuba to finish their breakfasts.  
  
When breakfast was over, Mokuba looked over to Jou, seemingly over his moment of bashfulness and said, "I feel like swimming today you want to come?"  
  
Jou twiddled with his spoon. He didn't really want the younger Kaiba to see his bodily artwork of bruises. Jou didn't think Mokuba needed to know how nasty some parents can be. "Nahhhhh." He said. "I'm not a good swimmer."  
  
"That's okay! You can stay in the shallow end!" Mokuba said.  
  
Jou desperate for a way out said, "I forgot my bathing suit."  
  
"You can borrow one of Seto's. He won't mind."  
  
Jou sighed. He wasn't getting out of this one. Still, it would be interesting to see what kind of bathing suit Seto wears. "I hope he doesn't wear a nut pack." Jou thought suddenly. But then dismissed it. Not because he figured Seto wouldn't wear them, just the thought of ANY man wearing them was disturbing. "Jou shuddered at his mental thought. Then he suddenly realised he was quite alone in the dining room. With out anything better to do, Jou picked up his and Mokuba's bowl and brought them into the kitchen. Putting them by the sink he promptly felt a restraining hand on his shoulder and spun around to see Cecelia there.  
  
"Mr. Jounichi? What are you doing?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, I was just going to do the breakfast dishes."  
  
"NO NO NO! Out of my kitchen imeadiately. OUT!"  
  
Jou was shoved out the kitchen and found himself in a room he didn't recognize. He heard the door slam behind him and the click of a lock being turned. "Who the hell has locks on the kitchen doors?" Jou thought briefly. Then he was struck with a thought. His map of the Kaiba house was sitting on the table next to his socks. OHH Crap!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
This Chapter probably could go on but I only wrote it because you people just won't leave me alone! Heh heh. You know how writer's block works. You run out of mental stamina and desire to complete. Ah well. At least this isn't too much of a cliffy. Later Dayz  
  
Stealth Jade Jr 


	8. Come see MY house Ch 8

Okay so it's been what three months? Four? (someone quietly mentions that it's been at least five. Author ducks behind her computer chair as things start flying at her) I'mmmmmmmmm Sooooooorrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have Joeysgirl(wlee1@vb.quick.com) to thank cause her review made me feel sooo guilty. So yeah here goes chapter 8  
  
Jou stared dumbly at the kitchen door. He briefly entertained the thought of begging for Cecelia to open the door but realized the futility of such an act and dismissed it. Turning to examine the room Jou felt that it was out of place in the mansion. It was smaller in size and simple, not unlike the dining room except this seemed even simpler. Jou walked to the door on the opposite side of the room and found he was relieved to find it unlocked. It hadn't even crossed Jou's mind that the maid might have tried to lock him in there to keep him out of the way.  
  
Once through the door Jou found himself in a more elaborate hallway. The feeling of oddness left him. Jou walked noisily down the hall in hope that some maid would yell at him to shut up so he could figure out where he was. No such luck. Jou reached the end of the hall and was still alone. "Hello?" he tried tentatively at first. No answer. "Hello?" He tried again with a bit more force. "HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO???????????" Jou yelled.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Jounichi?" A pretty little maid asked pleasantly as if Jou had merely asked for a cup of tea.  
  
"Oh." Jou said sheepishly. "I was uh, just testing the acoustics of this hallway." Jou said scratching his head. "It's very nice and all."  
  
"Thank you, sir. I will pass your compliments to Master Kaiba." And she turned to leave.  
  
"Whoa!" Jou said snapping out of his embarrassed daze. "Seein' as how you're here, could you tell me how to get to the sleeping quarters, hallway or whatever the place that people sleep in is called."  
  
"Of course, sir." She answered. "You take the first door on you left follow the hallway to the elevator on your right take it to the fourth floor, turn left go up the flight of stairs turn left and you will reach the sleeping quarters. Do you understand, sir?"  
  
"Riiiiiiiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhtttttttttt." Jou nodded pretending he understood exactly. "Maybe you should come with me. It's a long way and all and I wouldn't want to get lost and starve to death or anything unnatural like that."  
  
"Of course, Mr. Jounichi." The maid said with a knowing smile. "Follow me." And she led him out the door.  
  
Five minutes later Jou was sitting on his bed wondering how hard it would be to get another map without having to ask Kaiba. Jou didn't want to have to explain in detail how he had to be led to his room again. It sounded too much like a puppy following it's master. Kaiba would get a kick out of that.  
  
BANG BANG BANG  
  
"Jounichi! Lets go swimming!" Mokuba yelled through the door.  
  
Jou sweat dropped. "Maybe if I don't answer he'll think I'm not here" Jou hoped mentally.  
  
"I know you're in there, Jou! Come on! Lets go!"  
  
Then again maybe not. Getting off the bed Jou opened the door to his room. There stood Mokuba dressed in navy blue swimming trunks carrying a towel and ready to go. "Here," he said. "I brought you a pair of Seto's swimming trunks. He won't mind."  
  
"I'm sure." Jou thought sarcastically. "Listen, kid." Jou said. "I told you before. I don't swim. Sorry" Jou wasn't prepared for the look that crossed Mokuba's face. It was the saddest look Jou had ever seen on a kid. Deciding he didn't care whether or not the kid was faking it Jou couldn't bare to look at the sad face a moment more. Grabbing the swimsuit from Mokuba's hand he growled. "Alright, but you owe me." And Jou shut the door. As a second thought he opened the door and said "Don't you go anywhere else I won't be able to find the pool till dark. Got it?"  
  
Mokuba nodded obviously overjoyed that Jou would come swimming with him.  
  
Jou shut the door and quickly changed. It was only after he was wearing the trunks that he realized that they matched Mokuba's. "Awwwwwwwwww," Jou thought. "They have matching swim suits. Pausing to admire his newly acquired garb, Jou was shocked back into reality. He still had that lovely shiner across his torso not to mention the new bruises that made his arm look like a sixties polka dot dress gone bad.  
  
Well, Jou thought I can't hide 'em forever. Slipping into a t-shirt, Jou figured to save the initial shock for when they got to the pool. At least it was a private one. Jou, finally ready, opened the door and was relieved to see Mokuba waiting for him. "Where's my towel?" He asked Mokuba.  
  
"Oh!" Mokuba said. "I forgot." Then with a mischevious smile he said, "I'll get you one of Seto's. Come on." With that Mokuba skipped down the hall with Jou trudging at his heals. Mokuba got to his brother's door and tried the handle.  
  
"It's locked." Jou said after a moment, relieved that he couldn't get caught with anything else that belonged to Kaiba.  
  
"Not to worry." Mokuba said a little too cheerfully for Jou's comfort. "Follow me." And against his better judgement, Jou did. Mokuba led Jou to the room across that belonged to Mokuba. It was rather messy and looked like an eleven year olds room should look like. Jou followed Mokuba to a big poster of a Kaiba corp. blue eyes ultimate dragon. Jou whistled softly. The poster went from the floor to ceiling. It was definitely impressive.  
  
Jou let out another whistle as he watched Mokuba roll the poster from the bottom up to reveal a crude hole in the wall just big enough for Mokuba to comfortably fit through and Jou to squeeze through. Jou stuck his head through the hole. It was a small hole but the space between the wall was a comfortable size for even Jou. Judging by the hole though Mokuba had made this hole himself. Jou felt a renewed sense of dread. "After you." He said to Mokuba. And Mokuba complied.  
  
The secret passage went as to the hallway where it became a crawl space. Mokuba who obviously used this place often had pillows, flashlights and non biodegradable food in the crawlspace. After a short moment Mokuba stopped and started pushing up the ceiling or floor depending on your point of view. The boy lithely slid out and Jou followed to find himself under Seto Kaiba's bed. A mischievous smile greeted him once he crawled out from under the bed.  
  
"Does Kaiba know about this?" He asked the grinning boy.  
  
"Nope." Mokuba answered proudly. Then a look of fear crossed the boy's face. "You won't tell him will you?" he asked with a pleading look on his face.  
  
Jou didn't even have to think about it. "Of course not." He said immediately. "Who am I to ruin a good thing?" Mokuba smiled relieved.  
  
"Right!" he said happily. "I'll get a towel."  
  
Jou watched as Mokuba jumped into the pool. Once again, Jou was flabbergasted by the size of practically everything Kaiba owned not to mention the olympic size pool that lay invitingly before him. Jou walked to the edge of the pool and dipped one toe in to test the temperature. "Nice." Jou thought. Not too cool but not to warm.  
  
"Come on Jou!" Mokuba yelled from the middle of the pool. Gingerly, Jou took off his shirt and revealed the multicoloured work of art that was his chest. Jou heard Mokuba gasp when he turned around. "Jou." He said at a loss for anything better to say. Mokuba swam over to where Jou was stiffly getting into the pool. "What happened?" He asked at length.  
  
Jou thought about it a moment. Then decided that no, he couldn't tell Mokuba. "What?" Jou asked feigning ignorance. "Oh this?" Pointing to his chest. "Nice bruise, eh?"  
  
"How'd you get it?" Mokuba asked more worried than impressed. "I was changing the light bulb in the living room when my dad came in and startled me. I fell off the chair and landed on the coffee table." Jou said comfortably. "The Bruises on my arm were from my old man trying to catch me. As you can see he didn't help much." Jou watched guiltily as Mokuba winced at his every word. "Oh well." Jou thought. "Better me a klutze than abused." Mokuba seemed convinced and no more was said.  
  
Unfortunately for Mokuba, this ruined all opportunities for rough play. Or so Mokuba thought. As Mokuba turned to swim the length of the pool he felt Jou's strong arms reach around his waist and hoist him clear out of the water. Jou, after throwing Mokuba behind him started to swim to the other side of the pool.  
  
When Mokuba surfaced he was dumbfounded. "What?" Jou asked. "You didn't think I'd let you beat me to the other side did you?" And he swam away to the other side with Mokuba at his heels.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Unbeknownst to them they were watched by none other than Seto Kaiba who was home early. Kaiba watched from his office which overlooked the backyard where the pool was. He couldn't see much from this distance but there was no mistaking Mokuba's brown mop, and Jou's blonde one. Should he join them? Or let them play. Seto couldn't decide. Turning away from the window Seto sat at his computer and looked at the picture of Mokuba. An almost wicked grin crossed his face. He still owed Mokuba for this morning. "Time for brotherly revenge." Seto thought with a smile. Seto was sure Jou would be up for his little game.  
  
Well there you have it. Okay? You happy now? Another chapter. I hope you're happy cause I was supposed to be in bed an hour ago! (I'm sick with a cold you see) not pleasant! Any ways. Goodnight!  
  
Stealth Jade Jr. 


	9. Chapter 9 so original eh?

Disclaimers are the obvious. I own nothing I write about but I love free speech!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Seto quickly walked to his bedroom to get on his swimming trunks. When he opened his drawer to discover his clothes not in the usual pristine neatness he expected a look of annoyance crossed his face. "Damn the little brat." Seto thought. "I have got to figure out how he gets in here." Then an amused smile crossed his face. However Mokuba managed to be getting in it was his kid brothers best and only kept secret as far as Seto knew. But still. One of these days.  
  
He grabbed shuffled through the clothes that were there and his mild amusement left him. His new swimming shorts weren't there. Seto grabbed an old pair and quickly changed. He went to the bathroom to grab his beach towel and was peeved but not surprised in the least to discover it missing. Seto had the feeling he was going to find his belongings in the arms of Jounichi Katsuya. Oh was the boy going to hurt for this one.  
  
Seto grabbed an ordinary bath towel and hurried out to the pool. He didn't want them to be finished their fun before he even got in.  
  
When Seto got to the pool Jou had Mokuba on his shoulders and they were shooting baskets. Seto felt a brief pang of jealousy. Mokuba never sat on his shoulders. The feeling passed though as his plan of revenge was re- kindled. Taking a smooth dive into the pool Seto swam over to where the boys were playing completely un aware of his presence. Swimming so that he was a mere foot from the two Seto said, "Nice swim trunks, Jounichi."  
  
Jou started and dropped Mokuba, which wasn't a problem because Mokuba swam over to his brother and said, "Seto! Your home!"  
  
"So it would seem." Seto said in a monotone voice.  
  
Mokuba's cheer faltered a bit. "Your not mad that Mokuba has you trunks on are you?" he asked. "Or has your beach towel?" Then an evil grin crossed his face. "Don't worry, Seto. He tried to open your underwear drawer but I stopped him."  
  
"WHAT!!!!!" Jou said with an indignant squawk. "Oh ho! You are so going to die little man!" and Mokuba quickly swam past Seto to get away from Jou. Jou followed in close pursuit and stopped briefly beside Seto. "I didn't touch no under wear or under wear drawer. I don't got no interest in that stuff. I swear!"  
  
Seto nodded understandingly. Jou made to swim after the offending youth when Seto stopped him. He brought his mouth close to Jou's ear and said. "You and I owe the little runt a little lesson on who rules this house. Agreed?" Jou nodded a wicked grin crossing his face. "Tonight, after ten meet me in my room and we'll set up a little trap for the snoopster and will kill two birds with one stone."  
  
"Two birds?" Jou asked.  
  
Seto nodded. "He's been sneaking in my room and I'm going to figure out how." "Right." Jou said nodding. "It's a date." A moment passed. "I mean I'll see you there."  
  
"Riiiiggghhhtttt." Seto said. "Now let's teach him to keep his mouth shut, eh?" And they swam after the black haired kid.  
  
The three boys swam until dinner time when Cecelia came outside and insisted they come in for dinner. There was a brief staring/glaring contest when both Jou and Seto reached for the coveted beach towel but Seto won hands down and Jou found himself being thrown a bath towel instead. "What ever" Jou thought. It was still bigger than any towel he owned.  
  
Dinner that night was a bit classier than the night before. Cecelia insisted on Jounichi and Mokuba eating extra helpings as they had missed lunch while they were playing in the pool. The dinner was steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots and a glass of milk. Jou mentally shuddered. This meal was practically a "Food guide one oh one. With all the food groups accounted for."  
  
When dinner was over Mokuba invited Jou to join him in the games room. Jou was expecting a nice simple Nintendo or sega system. On second thought a game cube or X-Box. What he wasn't expecting was about ten different game systems with book shelves of games and a television that took up half the wall. Hell the room even had leather bean bag chairs to sit on. It was sadly insane. Jou watched as Mokuba plopped himself comfortably on a been bag chair much in the same manner Jou might have sat on his own couch. Jou walked into the room like he was walking on ice; afraid to touch anything cause he couldn't even afford the oldest game system in the room.  
  
Seto watched all of this and took note from the comfort of his office. Seto thought back to The sorry excuse of a place Jou lived in and could mildly fathom the thoughts going through the blonde boys head. Seto watched as Jou picked a racing game from the game shelf and get royally creamed by his little brother who was no stranger to winning these games. Seto was admittedly surprised that Mokuba wasn't tired of these games yet, but he wasn't.  
  
When nine thirty came around Cecelia came into the room and told Mokuba to turn it off that he need a bath before bed he whined until Cecelia was forced to shut the system off by pulling the plug. Mokuba had a minor temper tantrum but Seto fully agreed with Cecelia's methods and his hand was in fact mere centimetres away from the power controls. He really need to wean Mokuba of the games and maybe sooner was better than later.  
  
After Mokuba was dragged off Seto watched as Jounichi sat in silence in the games room. Jou appeared to be deep in thought but frankly Seto didn't want to watch Jou thinking and pondered several plans to make Jounichi move. Fortunately he was spared the trouble when Jou stood of his own accord and left the room. Seto leaned back into his office chair and followed Jou on his monitor. Occasionally typing in commands as Jou passed from one camera area to the next.  
  
Seto laughed softly when he realized that once again the blond puppy was lost. "Maybe I should put arrows up around the house while he's here saying 'this way to the kitchen' and this way to you bedroom.'" Seto laughed again as another idea popped into his head. He'd seen such a method employed by McDonald's Restaurants in the western world where they placed permanent Ronald foot prints to follow to the restaurant entrance. "Perfect." Seto thought. That will work nicely and he logged onto the internet to find a good picture of dog prints. As an after thought he turned on his intercom and asked one of the maids to show Jounichi to his room that he was lost again.  
  
When Jou got to his room after being directed by yet another maid in the Kaiba house hold he decided he better start writing notes on his experience. After all the stupid school assignment was why he was here. Jou sat on his bed with his school bag next to him and pulled out a pen and some paper. He started writing in note form what had crossed his mind since he got here and two of the many things he wrote was big and expensive. He figured this about summed up all Sensei Kimura needed to know but she did say she wanted to know feelings so Jou continued to write.  
  
It wasn't till five after ten that Jou remembered he had a 'date' with Kaiba and quickly shoved his paper into his bag and rushed out of the room. He lightly tapped on Seto's door and was let in by quickly. Jou was still dressed in his jeans and jacket but Seto who obviously had had a shower had on only a towel. Jou blushed to a lovely shade of crimson and turned away. "Is that all you're planning on wearing?" he asked. "Cause I feel slightly over dressed." Seto shot him a look that was wasted on the back of Jou's head as he picked up the clothes he had laid out on his bed before his shower and went into the bathroom to dress.  
  
When he came back out Jou was looking out of Seto's large bedroom window at the view that was before him. Seto watched him for a while and wondered what Jou was thinking for the second time that night, but Seto was hardly the warm and fuzzy type so he didn't bother asking.  
  
"So." Jou said letting the unspoken question hang. When Seto said nothing he elaborated. "So what exactly did you have in mind?" Jou asked.  
  
Seto shrugged his shoulders. "I figured you'd be better at the more practical of jokes." He said.  
  
"What?" Jou said feigning disbelief. "You mean the brilliant Mr. Kaiba admits he has no sense of humor?"  
  
Seto glared at Jou a glare so fierce that Jou took a step back. Jou unwillingly admitted to himself that for a second he was a little afraid of what exactly Seto could do. Jou decided not to goad Seto anymore tonight. "So, what kind of results do you want anyways?" he asked at length.  
  
"I want to catch him sneaking into my room and embarrass him if possible."  
  
Jou nodded. He would have to be careful for Mokuba's sake because he'd promised earlier that day not to reveal the secret hide-a-way under the bed.  
  
Both boys stood in silence for a moment. Then as one both made to sit on Seto's bed. Jou got another famous Kaiba glare and decided that the floor suddenly looked very comfortable and sat there instead. He made a mental not to himself to write in his essay about the Kaiba glares he was receiving.  
  
The silence stretched when a humorous but dirty thought crossed Jou's mind. He softly laughed but not softly enough. "What's so funny?" He asked. Jou squirmed uncomfortably at what he'd been thinking. "Well spit it out." Seto said impatiently.  
  
Jou sighed. "I just thought it'd be funny if your brother thought we were having an affair and the look on his face would be priceless when he came in the room and saw us doing something perfectly normal like playing a board game."  
  
Seto laughed. "The look would be priceless. And there are no servants in the house." A wicked grin crossed his face. "Let's do it!"  
  
Jou gave Seto an incredulous look. So that Seto hissed "Not let's have sex, the prank!" both boys turned away and took a moment to get over their blushing streaks. Yes, even Seto was blushing. He is not so in humane that he's lost his imagination and can't picture Jou naked and blonde on his bed – Whoa! Stop those thoughts now!!!!!!!!!!!!" Seto shuddered at how far that little day dream went and immediately pictured Cecelia naked to stop any further thoughts along those lines and shuddered again. This time in fear.  
  
Amusingly enough, Jou was also trying to focus on anything other than the permanent mental picture of Seto clad only in a towel.  
  
"Right," said Seto who composed himself first. "We need to start wit some, errrrrr noises. Yes. That's what we need noise."  
  
"Noise, right" Jou said nodding his head dumbly. "Naughty noise." And a thought hit him. "Do you have a television in here?" he asked. Seto nodded and pointed to a cupboard in the wall. "And satellite TV?" Jou asked hopefully.  
  
"Naturally." Seto said catching on to the plan. He himself had come across a couple television stations that needed to be restricted. Those would make the perfect background noise.  
  
Seto turned on the television and flipped channels till he came to a woman pole dancing. He glanced at Jou who shook his head. "Not enough noise. Need something more, well, more what ever. You know what I mean." Seto nodded and flipped the channel till he came to the playboy station. Both boys were nearly drop jawed at what was playing on that station. "I think," said Jou. "Those if Mokuba came in hear right now he'd be scarred for life. I know I am." They continued to stare anyways.  
  
"Ow." Seto said at a loss for words. Jou nodded dumbly. "That can't be natural." Jou shook his head; his mouth still open in shock and eyes watering from lack of blinking. "This is wrong." Seto said with a similar blank expression on his face. Jou nodded vigorously; eyes never leaving the screen. "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT??!!??!!"  
  
"I don't want to know" Jou nearly whimpered in fear. "Change the channel CHANGE THE CHANNEL!!!!!!"  
  
"I CAN'T!!!!!!! THE BUTTON'S STUCK!!!!!"  
  
"TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF!!!!!!"  
  
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! BANG! BANG! BANG!  
  
"Seto? What are you guys watching?" Mokuba asked through the door. Jou saw the knob turning and dived for the power button on the TV.  
  
"We aren't watching anything, Mokuba." Seto said with a face that showed that he was obviously lying.  
  
"What is Jou trying to hide?"  
  
All of a sudden the moans on the TV that wasn't on very loud before suddenly got much louder.  
  
"What are they doing?"  
  
"NOTHING!!!!! THEY ARE DOING NOTHING!!!!!!!" Then dashing to the TV, Seto closed the cupboard doors. While that effectively covered the screen from Mokuba's inquisitive eyes it did nothing to dampen the sound of Seto's surround sound speakers. "Idiot." Seto muttered to Jou. "Couldn't you tell the channel changer was the one on the left?"  
  
Jou shook his head. "It's not my fault."He protested. Mokuba main while was trying to sneak towards the TV cupboard.  
  
"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Seto and Jou yelled together as Seto dive to keep the cupboard shut and Jou dived to grab Mokuba and hold him back. Unfortunately their yells of dismay could not drown out the sound from the speakers at the exact time when the wordless moans turned to words.  
  
"Yes! YES! MORE! MORE! Oh ohohohohohoh more!" Jou picked up Mokuba and ran to the door and nearly threw the poor kid out of it. He shut the door quickly but not before the speakers screamed out, "HARDER!!!! FASTER!!!! STRONGER!!!! LONGER!!!! YES!!!!"  
  
Jou shut the door and Seto opened the TV cupboard shielding his eyes with his arm and turned off the TV. And shut the door again.  
  
"That," Seto said after a long moment of silence. "Was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my life." Each boy took a moment to digest what they had seen and heard.  
  
"That is definitely not how God intended babies to be made." Jou said.  
  
Seto sat down on the bed and didn't argue when Jou sat on it as well. Seto shuddered "And to think our parents-"  
  
"Don't even say it!" Jou interrupted. I still live with my dad. I don't need that along with my other problems. I still remember what my parent's look like." And he shuddered as well.  
  
"That was very wrong." Seto said for the second time that night.  
  
"Yes. Very VERY wrong."  
  
"That stuff should be outlawed or something."  
  
"Yes. It definitely should."  
  
"That kind of stuff should NOT be on television."  
  
"No. No it shouldn't."  
  
"Can you stop agreeing with everything I say?"  
  
"Not while your words speak only truth."  
  
"hnnnnnnnn"  
  
"I just had a thought." Jou said suddenly. "Does Mokuba have a television in his room?" Their eyes met and both boys dashed to the door and across the hall to Mokuba's door. Seto knocked softly.  
  
"Mokuba?" he whispered. "You awake?" No answer. Seto reached into his pocket and pulled out his pen knife and quietly picked the lock on the door. Mokuba was in his bed with the blankets all twisted around him giving Jou the sneaky suspicion that he'd just jumped into the bed mere seconds ago. Seto, however, seemed satisfied that Mokuba was sleeping and quietly shut the door.  
  
They went to Seto's room and Seto gave Jou an odd look. "You can go to bed now." He said. "The prank was a major bust. We'll think of something better next time."  
  
Jou nodded and tiptoed down the hall to his own room. Funny that he couldn't get to sleep though. In his head he kept hearing, "Harder, Faster, Stronger, Longer." But eventually sleep came.

**_End End End End End End End End End End End End End End_**

Whew! Well at last it has come to you. Chapter 9 of Come se MY house. I think this would be the chapter that would make this story pg 13.I don't think it really needs to be higher (it's not like there's anything left in this world that kids don't already know) but if you think it should be higher, seriously let me know and I'll change it. I don't want any parents offended.  
  
Thanks for reading and we'll see about the next chapter. After all, this is only the end of Jou's first full day at Seto Kaiba's house. Ahhhh the possibilities! Yeah. Until next time. Jade. And for the record if you're going to flame me about my spelling Jounouchi's name Jounichi I'm well past caring so give it up! I'm not changing! (Though I might change when I upload the completely edited version some day far down the road) 


	10. chapter 10 yet another well thought out ...

Jou woke the next morning after a terrible night's sleep. He did not expect much less considering what he had seen the night before. It was clear that he was truly scarred for life. Jou cracked an eye open and looked at the large digital clock on the night table beside his bed. The clock read 5:30 am. Jou shuddered. There was some cruel twist in fate these days. First he's stuck with Kaiba, and then both Kaiba and Sensei Kimura find out about his father, then last night... Jou shuddered at the memory that was all too fresh, and now this. Jou was up with the sun. While the sight out his bedroom window was truly lovely, he had sworn long ago to the laws of laziness that dictated unless an enemy was near or school waited, loyal subjects should never be up before 10:00am at the earliest.

But Jou was awake. Climbing out of his bed he streaked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. At his own place such an early shower would get him crap from his father and hell from the residents below who would be woken from the noise of water in the old pipes. Jou had no doubt that Kaiba's plumbing system would be near silent compared to his and unless someone was sleeping with their ear to the water pipes no one would wake up.

He only had a quick shower that morning; just enough to cool his body and wet his hair to make it manageable. After drying off, Jou wrapped his towel around his waist and brushed his hair and teeth. His stomach bruises were no less painful looking this morning though they were starting to turn yellowish brown around the edges. Jou checked out his polka-dotted arm and was pleased to see those bruises were also browning. In a week his bruises should be gone.

His morning routine over, Jou dressed in his customary blue jeans and white t-shirt. Seeing as how he was up early Jou decided to see what the world was like at this hour. He left his bedroom and after ten minutes of being lost he finally found the front door. There was no alarm system that he could see so he opened the front door and left.

Outside it was a beautiful morning. Jou walked down the blacktop driveway that led to the main gate about a hundred meters down. At the gate there were two guards. Jou balked at the idea of what those guards would do if they didn't like someone, they were very big men, but when they saw Jounichi they let him out with out a problem and Jou aimed himself towards town. Jou figured he'd visit Yugi. He hadn't talked to him since school let out and by the time Jou got to town it should be time to open the shop.

Jou enjoyed the walk. As it was so early there was hardly anyone in the streets, which was a rare treat for the Tokyo area. Of course that could just be that he was still on Kaiba land where no one willingly trespassed unless they had a death wish.

After ten minutes of lazy strolling, Jou noticed that the traffic was picking up and shook his head in disgust that people could be up at this hour. His watch read that it was five after six AM and he shuddered a bit. These people looked way too awake and Jou doubted that they had as a good a reason to be awake as he did. He noticed himself checking out the cars and day dreaming as to which one he would own in his next life. He also liked to imagine what type of person would own each car. It was just a game he liked to play while walking.

There were also a lot of pedestrians at this time too. Jou was most disgusted by these people because they were up this early to exercise alone and with dogs. Jou shook his head. These people are bloody nuts.

Sighing, Jou noticed that he had already reached the Kame Game shop. It was only 6:30. The shop wouldn't open till 7:00 at the earliest as it was Friday. Jou looked around and spotted a coffee/bubble tea housea few store down that looked like it was open. He pulled out his wallet and checked his cash section. Twenty Bucks to last him ten days. Did he really want some bubble tea? Yeah, he did.

He entered the shop and was rewarded with the smell of fresh coffee brewing. He didn't exactly like coffee as a drink but he enjoyed the smell. Sitting on one of the stools that surrounded the counter Jou ordered a small blueberry bubble tea and began to drink it slowly savouring every moment. He'd been here often during the school year. This was one of Tea's favourite hangout places and she'd often dragged Jou, Yugi and who ever else wasn't going straight home from school in there to try the latest flavour.

After Jou had been finished his tea for a long time he stood up to leave. It was nearly 7:00 and Mr. Moto should be opening up soon. When he reached the entrance of the shop his forehead broke out in a cold sweat. Jou could see his father walking down the street and he was headed towards Jou! He hadn't seen Jou yet so the boy ducked back into the tea shop and prayed that his father hadn't developed an affinity for bubble tea. Jumping onto one of the stools, Jou picked up a newspaper and hid his face from view. His breathing calmed, somewhat, when after a minute his father hadn't ripped the paper out of his hands and punched him. The bubble tea server gave Jou a funny look but Jou didn't stick around to explain his life story to her.

Approaching the door once more, Jou poked his head out the door and looked for the tell tale walk his father always had. Something of a cross between slouching, limping, and strutting. It didn't make sense but that's how his father walked. Also, there was the green jacket, that looked like it had been taken from the lost and found, and the light brown un-kept mop of hair.

Jou spotted him a few stores down and cringed when he realized that it was the Kame Game Shop. Jou watched as Mr. Moto flipped the "closed" sign on his door to open. Jou's father opened the game shop door and entered.

'Oh shit.' Jou thought. Please don't let him do anything rash. Jou left the relative safety of the bubble tea shop and went up the narrow alley way to the back of the shops and to where Mr. Moto, Yugi, and Yami's entrance to their home was. Jou climbed the fire escape, as he always did when he came to visit Yugi and Yami, and let himself into their room through the window that they always left unlocked for him. Their room was neat and orderly but Yugi's bed, on the bottom of the bunk bed, looked like no one had slept in it last night. Yami's bed, on the other hand had a rather grumpy looking pharaoh in it.

"What are you doing here?" he asked groggily. "At seven in the morning." He added with a glance at his alarm clock.

"My dad's in your shop looking for me and I don't want to be found." Jou answered and left the room and a confused Yami to go downstairs. He wanted to see what he could hear through the door that separated the Moto home from the Kame game shop.

"I'm sorry Mr. Jounichi, your son is not here." Mr. Moto was saying in his polite manner of speaking. "Nor have I seen him since school ended."

"School's ended?" Jou's father asked in confused voice. Jou could imagine the shock on Mr. Moto's face that Jou's father didn't even know that school was over yet.

"School has been out since Tuesday." Jou could just picture his father nodding dumbly.

"Well... if you haven't seen him maybe that kid of yours has."

"Yugi is not here right now. He is doing a week project at his friend malik's house. Perhaps Yami has seen him. I will go ask if you'll just wait here a moment."

"I'm coming with you." Jou's father growled. 'Shit! Jou thought. He's going to see me!'

"Very well," Mr. Moto was saying. "Just let me lock the door to my shop first."

Jou raced back up the stairs to Yami's room. "Yami!" He whispered harshly. "Yami wake up!"

"What's wrong Jou? What's happening?" he asked as groggy as before and clearly not awake.

"Grandpa's coming up here with my father to ask if you've seen me. Say no, no matter what. You got it?"

"Yes, but what's going on?" Yami asked, hearing the urgency in Jou's voice and waking up. Jou didn't answer because he heard steps on the stairs. Jou slid under Yugi's bed and held his breath. He could hear Yami turning onto his side on the top bunk.

Jou watched the door open through the gap between the floor and Yugi's bed skirt. Mr. Moto softly walked in the room with Jou's father right behind him.

"Yami?"

"hnnnnnn." Yami grunted feigning grogginess.

"Mr. Jounichi is here looking for his son. Have you seen Jou?"

"Jou?" Yami said through a yawn. "No. I haven't seen him since Tuesday."

"Where is he?" Jou's father growled.

"I dunno. Try Kaiba's house. That's who his partner is."

'Shit' Jou thought. 'I hope dad doesn't try there next.'

"Kaiba. Isn't he a tallish kid with short brown hair and blue eyes?"

No one said anything so Jou assumed that Yami must have nodded because next thing Jou knew his father's feet were leaving. Jou involuntarily sighed. Holding his breath again, Jou saw his father's feet pause a bit at the door. Then they left with Mr. Moto's following closely.

When the door was closed, Jou sighed again. "That was close." Yami said from the top bunk. "I though for sure he heard you down there." Jou slid out and nodded his agreement. Yami was now sitting up displaying a bare, well built chest and a concerned face. "So what's up with your father?" He asked.

Jou sighed. Once Yami was concerned he wasn't going to let it drop. "The night I was to go to Kaiba's, Wednesday, I sorta caused a bit of trouble before leaving. Kaiba put on his list thingy that I needed a suit and you know perfectly well that the most professional article of clothing I own is my school uniform." Yami nodded.

"Well," Jou continued. "I tried to borrow my dad's suit and that didn't sit too well with him. When Kaiba came to pick me up, my father tried to stop me from leaving and well... a few fists flew and my dad got a nice wallop on his face that knocked him over."

"You hit your father?!" Yami asked incredulously.

Jou shook his head. "Not me, Kaiba."

Yami let out a low whistle. "So," he said. "Basically your dad is bent on a little revenge? Or what?"

"I dunno. He's looking for me not Kaiba. Maybe he was too drunk to tell who hit him. He'd had quite a few beers. Anyways, I left with Kaiba and hadn't seen him till this morning."

Yami looked thoughtful but Jou didn't give him a chance to say anything. "Listen, Yami, I'll catch you later, kay?" Yami nodded and Jou left his room to go downstairs and see Mr. Moto.

Mr. Moto, was needless to say a little surprised to see him.

"Jounichi?!" He exclaimed. "You just missed your father. He was here looking for you."

"I know." Jou said. "I meant not to be found. Ummmm... Thanks for everything-"and Jou left it hanging. Mr. Moto patted the tall boy on the back as an understanding gesture. Jou appreciated it and left the game shop by the storefront door. Out side though he was in for a bit of a shock.

"Hello, boy." Jou's father had been waiting for

him and seeing him up close, Jou couldn't miss the bruise that was splashed across his face. "I think it's time we had a little man to man talk if you catch my drift." And he grabbed Jou's arm tightly. "Don't make a scene."   
Jou struggled a little and said, "You're the one making a scene. Why don't you ask me if I wanna go with you?" Jou's father gave him a deadly glare and Jou figured he may as well ride it out. Jou glanced at the Moto home above the shop wishing he lived there. He wasn't happy to see Yami staring back at him with that knowing and sympathetic look.

Jou started walking quickly and noticed that his father looked surprised to see him agreeing to come. "You want to go? Then let's go!" Jou said wanting to get away from Yami's penetrating stare.

It was a five minute walk to the apartment. When they got there and Jou's father opened the door, Jou wasn't surprised to see the mess that awaited him. Jou's father locked the door and sat on the couch and stared at Jou who stood in the now closed doorway uncertainly. Not that he appeared uncertain because he would never give his father the satisfaction of knowing he was nervous. Jou just couldn't help noticing that the door now locked from the inside as well as the outside and Jou suspected that he wasn't going to be getting a key to fit that lock.

"You've been gone for a few days." Jou's father said as if he was striking up a perfectly normal conversation. Jou wouldn't have been surprised if his father started cleaning his nails he was so comfortable and cocky on that couch. After all, he was in no rush now that Jou couldn't go anywhere.

Jou, fervently wishing he had struggled a bit more or left the Moto home through that bedroom window, nodded. "I've been staying at Kaiba's house doing that school project I told you about."

Jou's father laughed. "Do you take me for an idiot, boy? I know perfectly well that school is out."

"It's a summer project, dad."

"Bullshit." His father said. "If you're supposed to stay at his house what were you doing in that Kame Shop house?"

"It's called visiting, Dad. Friends visit each other's houses, you know."

Jou watched his father's eyes narrow. His father didn't exactly have a lot of friends. He had acquaintances and people he opted to avoid as he owed them debts. Jou had met a few of the latter type when they'd come looking for Jou's father to collect.

"It doesn't matter." Jou's father said. "You won't be visiting anyone until school starts again. I'm leaving for work. You stay here make your self useful by cleaning up."

Jou's father stood up with a satisfied smirk on his face. He walked right up to Jou and roughly grabbed the collar of Jou's shirt and pushed him against the wall. "Welcome back, son." He said and he opened the door and quickly closed it behind him.

Jou was shocked to notice that there was no alcohol in his father's breath. His dad was completely sober.

AU: Normally I would stop right here and leave you all hanging but everyone keeps grumbling at me that my chapters should be longer so this is for you grumpy people. Author sighs cause she knows she won't be getting much sleep tonight

Jou tried the doorknob and was less that surprised to find it locked. He looked around the room and went straight to the living room window. A huge lock, so big Jou was surprised he hadn't seen it the moment he walked in, was keeping the window shut and Jou couldn't get the window open more than an inch. Just open enough that he wouldn't suffocate in the apartment. A quick survey revealed that the kitchen and master bedroom window were also sporting large locks. His own bedroom didn't have a window, but Jou checked into that room to see what condition it was in.

It was a mess. Jou's father had obviously let off some steam in here. The mattress was off the bed springs and one of Jou's foam pillows was shredded as if his father had sat there for a while manually shredding it or stuck it in a blender and 'let it rip'.

Jou started tidying by habit and started by righting his mattress and putting it back on the bedsprings. He had almost no clothes in the room because they were all at Kaiba's place so it was just a matter of reorganizing his knick-knacks. When he was finished with his room he started on the kitchen next. He washed the dishes. There weren't that many cause Jou and his father are constant take-out eaters and with out Jou to cook spaghetti or anything special, Jou's father had been living off takeout and ramen noodles. Apparently his father _could_ boil water.

Lastly, he cleaned the living room, which was mostly organizing magazines and throwing out more food containers, and sat on the couch in defeat. He hadn't found any keys lying around and he never went into his father's room. Jou's dad would know if someone had touched anything and it was an unspoken understanding that Jou wasn't allowed in there without dire consequences. Besides, the last time Jou had been in there was to get his father's suit and that had turned into such a lovely scenario.

With out anything better to do Jou flipped on the television. It was nearly lunchtime and with no food in his stomach, because he hadn't eaten breakfast, he was getting hungry. He made himself a cup of ramen and sat down and flipped on the AGAT channel. All Games All the Time. The AGAT channel was owned and run by the Kaiba Corp. 'I just can't get away from him can I?' Jou thought. It was showing re-runs right now and Jou changed the channel. He'd already seen Rex get beaten by Weevil enough times that he could quote the taunts the duellers used on each other before they even said them.

The next channel was cooking, and the next was cartoons. With a frustrated sigh Jou threw the controller at the TV. This was pathetic. He was locked in his own bloody house. Jou, never one susceptible to claustrophobia before, started to notice just how close the walls were when you couldn't escape them. He wanted out now, but there was no way.

Sighing in defeat Jou decided to sleep it off. After all, his sleep schedule was totally out of whack now that he'd gotten up at 5:30 in the morning. Jou threw out his ramen cup on the way to his bedroom. He turned off the light, shut the door, took off his top and flung himself on the neatly made bed. He didn't cover himself with the blanket because he was feeling hot enough as it was. Instead he shut his eyes and thought of nothing in particular until sleep finally came.

When he woke up later he couldn't tell why at first. When the telephone rang all became clear and he leaped out of bed and ran to the only phone in the apartment which was on the coffee table in the living room. Jou picked up the phone mid ring and put the receiver to his ear.

"Hello?" He heard a voice say. "Hello? Is Jounichi there?" It was Mokuba. What did Mokuba want?

"Hey Mokuba." Jou said, not really sure if should have answered or not.

"Jou? Is that you?"

"Yeah."

"Why'd you leave?" Mokuba asked in slightly hurt voice.

"I... I had to get home." Jou said thinking on the spot. "My dad isn't feeling too well."

"I thought your dad was a jerk." Mokuba said.

"What?!" Jou exclaimed. "Where'd you hear something like that?"

"Seto told me."

"Well, Seto told you wrong." Jou shook his head. Damn Kaiba for ruining a perfectly good excuse.

"Soooo... are you coming back, Jou?"

Jou was silent for a moment. "I don't know kid. Not right now." There was silence on the phone. Jou thought he heard Mokuba sigh but he couldn't be sure. "Listen, Mokuba, I gotta get going. My dad needs me. I'll see you around kay?"

"Okay." Mokuba said. "See ya." And the two boys hung up.

Jou put the phone down and glared at the floor. What the hell was he gonna do? Kaiba had already 'saved' him once and damned if he was gonna be saved by money bags again. He had to get out before Kaiba showed up or he'd lose any dignity that he still had. Shit!

Alrighty then. I got my cliff hanger and you get your new chapter. We're all happy right? Let me know what you think of this chapter and if you have anything you want to see let me know and I'll see if I can incorporate it into my brilliant scheme (Author ignores all the people who snorted at the word brilliant and pretends they don't exist)


	11. Chapter 11

Seto leaned back in his leather work chair. Jou hadn't come down for breakfast that morning and to be truthful Seto was glad the blonde had been a "no show." Seto didn't think he could look at Jou without blushing. The events of last night were still frighteningly vivid in his mind. When Seto had left for work and Jou still had not come down Seto thought nothing of it.

It wasn't until around ten am, when Mokuba phoned to tell Seto that Jou wasn't in the house that Seto wondered about Jou. With a few clicks on his laptop computer Seto brought up the home surveillance videos for the the last twelve hours. Quickly skimming through the video surveillance of the hallway where all the bedrooms were located Seto saw Jou emerge around 5:45 am looking surprisingly alert considering he was a lazy bum. Seto snorted slightly as he watched Jou be lost for ten minutes before he finally found the front door. Seto watched the guards let Jou through and saw him head towards town.

Seto glanced at his watch now. 10:25am. Jou hadn't been seen for about five hours. He considered sending a search party out for Jou but reminded himself that he had never actually said that Jou couldn't go out. When he found the stray dog he'd set the record straight. For now he'd let Jou do whatever it was he wanted to do. He'd just better be home by five.

Seto was interrupted from his work at 2:00. Mokuba was on the phone again. Seto's secretary put the boy through and Seto listened as Mokuba told him what Jou had told his younger brother. When Mokuba had told him everything the brothers hung up with the promise to contact each other if either of them learned anything new. Seto frowned. Why would Jounichi go home? It's not like he was exactly welcome there.

Then it hit him. Perhaps he didn't want to go home. Jou's father seemed to have some hold over Jou emotionally as well as physically. He'd have to look into it, but for now he picked up the phone and dialed Jou's home number.

Jou jumped when the phone rang. He'd been sitting on the couch pondering his options and predicaments in silence and was startled by the loud noise.

'Shit.' Jou thought. If that's Mokuba I don't want to talk to him, if it's Dad he'll kick the shit out of me for not answering the phone.

Fearing his father's wrath more Jou picked up the phone and put it to his ear without saying anything. Whoever called said nothing either and Jou considered hanging up quickly. Luck was not with him though for the other spoke.

"Start talking, Jounichi Katsuya, you breathe loudly like a panting dog and I know you're there."

"Seto, heh heh." Jou mumbled. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Mokuba told me."

"Of course the little tike did. So what do you want?" Jou asked feigning ignorance.

Seto snorted. "Oh, the usual; where you've been, where you're going, will you be home for dinner and so forth." He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What are you, my wife? What do you care?" Jou asked

Seto chose to ignore the wife comment and answered "I care about my reputation, mutt. Having you walk out before we're finished this project will be a mark on my record and I will not tolerate that. Do you understand?" Seto asked forcing himself to be calm.

Jou sighed. "I'm sorry about your record then. I'll see you in September." And he hung up the phone before Seto could retaliate.

It was fortunate for Jou that he hung up first because the force with which Seto slammed his phone down shattered the plastic casing on the ear piece. Growling in frustration, Seto shoved the now useless phone to the floor. 'What the hell was Jou doing!' Seto wondered. 'He's such a selfish, bastard!' Seto stood up from his desk and started pacing. He was absolutely not going to let Jounichi ruin this for him. Why did Sensei Kimura ever pair him up with the stupid dog.

Of course, she hadn't known when she partnered them up. Seto wondered if she knew that Jou was being abused by his father. 'Probably,' He thought. 'That's why she changed their project. Thoughts formulating clearly now Seto stopped his fierce pacing and sat on the edge of his desk.

He had to do something about separating Jou from his father temporarily until the project was done and maybe on a more permanent level. Child services would no doubt be able to remove Jounichi from his father's custody, but then what? Seto knew all too well what it was like being bounced from foster home to foster home. Jou was almost better off where he was. Almost.

Seto needed someone more informed of the system. He looked up the number for Child Services on his lap top and pulled out his cell phone to dial. He didn't dial though. It felt, some how, like betrayal phoning about Jou without his permission. It's not like Jou couldn't find the number for himself. Seto thought back to his own childhood. When it had been Seto's adopted father had beating him, Seto, who knew his options, had never asked for help either. He would not shame Jounichi.

Finally Seto settled for phoning Sensei Kimura. She already knew the situation and, though Seto would never admit it aloud, perhaps another opinion might help. When she picked up the phone Seto wasted little time on pleasantries. He told the Sensei about the troubles he'd had picking Jou up on the Wednesday night, and his suspicions of Jou's danger now.

Sensei Kimura was quiet for a moment. Seto could just see her digesting the information he had given her. Finally, she sighed and said, "I understand your reservations about involving the system. They can do wonders for young children but for a child of Katsuya's age and," she paused looking for the right word.

"Temperament?" Seto supplied. "Personality? Intelligence?"

"I was going to say 'attitude with authority.'" Sensei Kimura said with an hard edge to her voice. "You say that Katsuya is currently at his father's place, correct?"

"That is correct."

"But that all the belongings he brought with him to your place are still there?"

"Correct again." Seto said trying not to let his impatience sound in his voice. He needed the pup back at his house to finish the project and preferably in one piece. After that Jou could live under his desk at school or what ever else could be worked out for him.

The Sensei was quiet for a moment again. "If we wish to avoid involving the services that means we can't contact the police or, if Katsuya is injured, bring him to a hospitable."

"Do you really think he is in that much physical danger?" Seto asked. A few punches meant a few bruises. Seto had never considered that a need for hospitalization. "If it comes to needing medical assistance I have my contacts and the finances to cover it." Seto offered. "I don't like leaving him there for long."

Again there was a moment of silence between them. Then Seto spoke; "Speaking hypothetically how much shit would a person be in with the law if he were to obtain Jounichi by force?"

"Hypothetically speaking, if the incident were reported to the police this person would be charged for kidnapping unless they could prove that Jounichi would be in physical danger by remaining in his current situation." Was the Sensei's answer. "However," she warned. "You walk a very fine line and I am obliged to inform the police if I suspect a crime. Don't go flying my name on a banner. I've already failed as a teacher by not informing the proper authorities of my suspicions."

"Then it is good that we are speaking hypothetically, is it not?" Seto asked rhetorically before he hung up. It was time to bring the stray dog home.

Sensei Kimura put her phone down and pinched the bridge of her nose. She could feel a head ache coming on and she knew release wouldn't come until she was sure Jounichi Katsuya was safe. Should she involve the police?

Jou had been sitting in the living room for hours. He had nothing to do. Every other summer he'd always hung with Yugi, Toyota, and Anzu. They would hang out at the game shop or where ever Anzu happened to have a summer job that year. Now he had nothing but the walls to stare at and his imagination to entertain him. His mind wandered over the past couple of days. He didn't think he'd ever forget last night with Kaiba and the porn channel. Jou snickered to himself. What had possibly possessed them to try and make Mokuba think they were gay and screwing each other.

Sure it had been his idea but it was Kaiba who set it in motion. Not to mention that Kaiba seemed to be able to find those naughty channels rather quickly. Suspicion rose in Jou's mind as he pondered and he suddenly found himself wondering if such shows turned Kaiba on. Jou sat upright. 'Woah' he thought. 'Stop thinking thoughts like these. This is Kaiba, Seto Kaiba the richest, brainiest kid in Japan if not the world. We don't need to know what he does when he's alone.' And he stood up and started to pace the room. He was so bored that if he hadn't showered that morning he'd have showered again.

Firtunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, Jou heard the tell tale signs of a key in the lock. His father was home. Oh goody.


End file.
